Thomas Salt was born around 1884 in the Cheadle area and was the son of John and Agnes Salt (Nee Willett)

In 1891 the family are living at Sweet Hill Farm, Boundary, near Cheadle, with John Salt senior, and sisters Mary Ann 9 and Ellen 11. John Salt’s occupation is given as farmer.(1891 Census)

By the 1901 census the family are living at Hatchley, which is believed to be modern day Hatchley Farm, Bate Lane, near Dilhorne. Thomas’s father is still farming, Mary Ann is married and called Walters and Ellen has moved out . Thomas does not have an occupation recorded against his name.

Thomas Salt married Florence May Carr on 10th October 1909 at Fenton. Their home address was given as 30 Alfred Street Fenton. Thomas’s occupation was given as a Butcher as was his fathers. (marriage certificate)

In 1911 at the census of that year the family were living at Dilhorne Lane, Forsbrook and had two children, Florence May who was 2 and Agnes who was 6 months. Thomas’s occupation was recorded as a general farm labourer on this occasion.

At the same census his parents were living at Cash Heath which is between Blythe Bridge and Dilhorne. His father is still a farmer.

It is assumed that some time after the start of the war and perhaps very early on Thomas Salt joined the army and was posted to the 7th Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment.

This battalion was formed in 1914 and based initially in Tidworth on Salisbury plain. By January of the following year the unit was at Basingstoke and then Aldershot before sailing from Avonmouth in June 1915 bound for Gallipoli where they remained until January 1916 when they were evacuated to Egypt. They remained in the middle east for the duration of the war ending it at Baku in present day Azerbaijan.

Thomas Salt died on 9th October 1915. The circumstances of his death are at this time unknown. He is commemorated at the Helles Memorial in Western Turkey in memory of the 21,000 servicemen lost during the Gallipoli Campaign many who have no known grave