Thomas Bill 1880 - 1903 - Sherwood Foresters

[SpareBott]

I have hit a wall with young Thomas here - I have a service number of 6525
He was apparently an Private in the Sherwood Foresters and died on 20 Aug 1903 at "Trent Sin" (?)

I have googled my eyes out and cannot find a thing about him - I was starting to question his name but there are two documents on Ancestry with his name written on them - a Soldiers Effects Doc and a Short Service Attestation, but the latter is barely readable

Son of John Bill and Sarah Ann Laban, he was born in Derbyshire

I was hoping to find maybe a record of where he was buried, where he fought (if he did) or how he died... nothing

Any help, greatly appreciated

[CaroleW]

John BillS & Sarah Laban married Dec qtr 1880

Daughters Sarah Ann b June qtr 1881 & Mary Ann Dec qtr 1883

All events West Bromwich - surname Bills - not Bill

No birth in Derbyshire in 1878-1883 for a Thomas Bill or Bills

Where does he fit into your FH? 

[CaroleW]

Was he born Thomas Laban?  Birth in Burton on Trent March qtr 1880 - no mmn so illegitimate

Baptism 3.4.1880 mother Sarah Laban

[CaroleW]

Birthplace on Service attestation  is Hilton Derbyshire which matches the 1891 entry for Thomas Bill aged 11 - son of John & Sarah

1881 entry is Bills

[mckha489]

I think Trent Sin is Tientsin  - in China

Various newspaper articles have some of the Sherwood Foresters there or thereabouts in 1903

[QueenoftheWest]

He died of enteric fever, better known today as typhoid, on 20th August 1903.

His military record says he served in the South Africa campaign 1899-1902, so the Second Boer War. He received the Queen's South Africa medal. Also, looks like he served in China until his death (which matches mckha489's reply).

Full record can be viewed on FindMyPast.

Queenie 

[SpareBott]

John BillS & Sarah Laban married Dec qtr 1880

Daughters Sarah Ann b June qtr 1881 & Mary Ann Dec qtr 1883

All events West Bromwich - surname Bills - not Bill

No birth in Derbyshire in 1878-1883 for a Thomas Bill or Bills

Where does he fit into your FH?

Thomas would be my partner's great grand-uncle - his sister Frances Alice Bill 1894 - 1982 is verified, (my partner's mum knew her) with father "John Bill" on her marriage cert.
I've just seen the marriage cert for Sarah Laban and John BillS that you mention

I've got Thomas on a 1981 census with mother Sarah Bill and father John Bill

Gosh this is a minefield

Full record can be viewed on FindMyPast.

Queenie 

Maybe this is our guy!!

[SpareBott]

Full record can be viewed on FindMyPast.

Queenie 

I've just joined findmypast - I am struggling to find this - would you be able to tell me what you searched?

[CaroleW]

Can't help re FindMyPast query but it appears he was born as Thomas Laban - the illegitimate son of Sarah who later married John Bills.  Looks like Thomas was known by his stepfathers surname & probably never knew his real surname