| Thomas Heslip was the second son of Alexander and Rachel Heslip. Alexander Heslip and Rachel Trueman / Truman were married on 15th February 1907 in the district of Dungannon.
|
| The 1911 census lists the family living at house 8 in Aghintober, Clonavaddy, County Tyrone. Alexander Heslip was a farmer.
|
| Thomas was born on 16th July 1912 in the district of Dungannon. He was one of at least six children, all born in the Clonavaddy area.
|
| Known family: Alexander Heslip, Rachel Heslip, John Heslip (born 26th November 1909), Elizabeth Heslip (born 25th January 1911), Thomas Heslip (born 16th July 1912), Victor Heslip (born 13th August 1913), William Heslip (born 22nd March 1915), Wilfred Heslip (born 9th April 1916).
|
| Thomas emigrated to New Zealand.
|
| Around the time, the spelling of his surname changed to Heslop.
|
| Prior to enlistment, Thomas was a farmer living at Cambridge Road, Tauranga, New Zealand.
|
| Thomas Heslop enlisted in Tauranga.
|
| Thomas listed his sister, Elizabeth Heslop as his next of kin. She was living in Dungannon, County Tyrone. He was single.
|
| Private Heslop left Wellington sometime between 1st July 1941 and 30th September 1941 with the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force.
|
| Private Thomas Heslop was serving with the 21st Battalion of the New Zealand Infantry when he died on 17th December 1942 in the Western Desert in North Africa.
|
| Private Thomas Heslop is buried in Tripoli War Cemetery in Libya.
|
|
| Private Thomas Heslop is commemorated on Tauranga Cenotaph.
|
|
| Private Heslop is also commemorated on Tauranga WW2 RSA Memorial (Returned and Services' Association).
|
|
| The CWGC record Private Thomas Heslop as the son of Alexander Heslop and of Rachel Heslop (nee Truman) of Dungannon, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland.
|
| Many thanks to Raymond Cuddy who informed us of this man in May 2017.
|
|
