Private Thomas Highgate: A Life and Legacy Shaped by Tragedy
- dthholland
- 1 day ago
- 6 min read
On 13 May 1895, in the village of Shoreham, Kent, Private Thomas Highgate was born into a life of struggle. One of five sons raised by his mother, Alice, Highgate’s family was constantly on the move between Shoreham and the outskirts of London, eking out a meagre existence. Like many young men of his time, Thomas sought to escape his difficult circumstances by joining the military, a decision that would ultimately lead to a tragic end.
Early Life and Military Service
Thomas Highgate’s early life was marked by the struggle to survive. He worked as a farm labourer, a common occupation for the rural poor, before enlisting in the army at the age of 17 on 4 February 1913. His initial military role, somewhat surprisingly, was as a seaman, where he faced a series of unfortunate events. During his time at sea, he suffered a fall, survived two shipwrecks, and contracted yellow fever while stationed in Africa. His health deteriorated, and a medical officer, Captain Tate, produced a memorandum in June 1914 stating that Highgate exhibited a “peculiar” disposition and suffered from memory loss, likely due to his injuries and illness.
Despite these challenges, Highgate continued to serve in the army, although not without complications. He was recorded as being absent without leave twice before the outbreak of the First World War. He first went missing in September 1913 and then again in February 1914, a period during which he attempted to enlist with a different unit at Woolwich, likely to be closer to his brother. When caught, he was sentenced to 42 days in military prison. Despite his disciplinary issues, his army records described him as a "good worker." These absences, however, foreshadowed the tragic events that were soon to unfold.
The First World War and the Battle of Mons
In August 1914, with the outbreak of the First World War, Highgate was sent to France as part of the First Battalion of the Royal West Kent Regiment. His battalion was one of the first to enter combat and fought in the Battle of Mons, a significant early engagement in the war. The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) found itself outnumbered and outgunned by the advancing German forces. By September, the BEF was in full retreat, and the situation was dire.
On the morning of 6 September 1914, Highgate left his post at the frontline, claiming he needed to relieve himself. Instead of returning, he hid in a nearby farmhouse. He was discovered by an English gamekeeper, who was also a former soldier. Highgate was found wearing civilian clothes, his army uniform discarded nearby. His desertion likely lasted no more than a few hours, but the consequences would be severe. Upon being discovered, Highgate reportedly told the gamekeeper, "I have lost my army, and I mean to get out of it"
When questioned later by the court, Highgate could not say why he was in civilian clothes. He stated that having lost his regiment he:
‘got strolling about, went down into a farm, lay down in an empty house, and have a slight remembrance of putting some civilian clothes on, but do not remember exactly what happened until the man came down to arrest me’
Likewise, Captain Milward, who had escorted Private Highgate into military custody, described to the court that Highgate had said to him he ‘remembered nothing’ except leaving his bivouac that morning.
Interestingly, Private Highgate’s service record reveals not only a history of desertion prior to the outbreak of war in August 1914 but also a history of memory loss. The Statement of Services sheet in his service record lists a desertion from 28 February 1914 until 4 May, with a signed confession attached confirming that Highgate had attempted to fraudulently re-enlist into the Army at Woolwich. His Army employment sheet records that he was ‘continually absent’ but ‘a good worker’
Also, a memorandum regarding Private Highgate from June 1914 from Captain Tate, Medical Officer at Richmond Barracks, Ireland, to the Adjutant of the 1st Battalion, Royal West Kent’s, states:
‘I have spoken to this man and find his memory good at present. His history of two shipwrecks [Highgate had been a seaman before joining the Army], a fall from a loft and yellow fever on W[est] coast of Africa would amply account for occasional lapses of memory. His manner is stated to be peculiar at times’ – Private Thomas James Highgate, 10061, 1st Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment).
Trial and Execution
Highgate was swiftly arrested by the local gendarmes and handed over to Captain Milward of his regiment. When questioned, Highgate claimed he had no memory of what had happened, recalling only fragments of his actions. His trial was conducted in haste, and Highgate had little opportunity to defend himself. With most of his comrades either dead, captured, or wounded in the Battle of Mons, he had no witnesses to call on his behalf. Additionally, he lacked the support of an officer, which was his right.
Just two days after his arrest, Highgate was found guilty of desertion and sentenced to death by a firing squad. On 8 September 1914, at 7:07 am, he was executed by soldiers from the 1st Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment. He was just 19 years old, the first British soldier to be executed for desertion during the First World War, a mere 35 days after the conflict began.
Highgate’s execution was used as a disciplinary tool by the British military. General Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien, a senior commander, insisted that the execution should be made as public as possible to serve as a deterrent to other soldiers. Men from the 1st Battalion of the Cheshire and Dorset Regiments were forced to witness the execution, and it was widely publicised in the army’s Routine Orders.
The Aftermath and Highgate’s Legacy
For many years after his death, Highgate’s story was largely forgotten. His name was omitted from the war memorial in his hometown of Shoreham, as was the case for many soldiers executed for desertion or cowardice during the war. Instead, he was commemorated by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission on the La Ferté-sous-Jouarre Memorial, which honours British soldiers with no known grave.
The treatment of Highgate and others like him became a subject of controversy as attitudes toward the First World War shifted over time. In the late 1990s, a campaign emerged in Shoreham to have Highgate’s name added to the village war memorial. Led by Reverend Barry Simmons, the local vicar, the campaign sought to recognise Highgate as a victim of the harsh realities of war rather than a coward. However, the proposal met with resistance from the local branch of the Royal British Legion, and a vote held among its members was split evenly.
In 2000, the village held a referendum to decide whether Highgate’s name should be added to the memorial. Although 79% of the residents voted in favour, the local council decided to wait for the government’s decision on pardoning soldiers executed for cowardice and desertion before making any changes to the memorial. A gap was left on the monument, should his name be added at a later date. This decision sparked deep divisions within the community, leading Reverend Simmons to leave his position in Shoreham.
The Campaign for Posthumous Pardons
In 2006, the British government issued posthumous pardons to the 306 soldiers executed for cowardice and desertion during the First World War, acknowledging that many of these men had suffered from what would now be recognised as combat trauma or shell shock. However, despite the government’s decision, Thomas Highgate’s name was still missing from the Shoreham memorial. His great-nephew, Terence Highgate, continued to campaign for his name to be added as late as 2014, 100 years after his execution.
In an ironic twist, a local historian discovered that Highgate’s name was already listed on another war memorial in Sidcup, along with the names of his brothers, Robert and Joseph. Both brothers also lost their lives in the war—Robert killed in January 1915 and Joseph dying of wounds in June 1916. This revelation suggested that, despite his ignominious death, Highgate’s sacrifice had been recognised elsewhere.
The story of Private Thomas Highgate is a tragic reminder of the brutal consequences faced by soldiers during the First World War. Highgate’s life, shaped by poverty and hardship, was cut short not only by the horrors of the battlefield but also by a military system that demanded harsh punishment for those who faltered under its immense pressures. His execution was meant to serve as a lesson, but in the years since his death, it has become a symbol of the need for compassion and understanding for those who are pushed to their limits by the trauma of war.
As we reflect on Highgate’s story, we are reminded that history often deals harshly with its victims, but the passage of time can bring a more nuanced understanding of their experiences. Thomas Highgate was not simply a deserter—he was a young man caught in the unimaginable chaos of war, a victim of circumstances beyond his control. Today, his legacy serves as a poignant reminder of the human cost of conflict and the need for empathy in the face of such tragedy.
