Friends of the Somme - Mid Ulster Branch  
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Updates for Private Thomas Heslop
Date Information
22/04/2018 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.
22/04/2018 The 1911 census lists the family living at house 8 in Aghintober, Clonavaddy, County Tyrone. Alexander Heslip was a farmer.
22/04/2018 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.
22/04/2018 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).
22/04/2018 Thomas emigrated to New Zealand.
22/04/2018 Around the time, the spelling of his surname changed to Heslop.
22/04/2018 Prior to enlistment, Thomas was a farmer living at Cambridge Road, Tauranga, New Zealand.
22/04/2018 Thomas Heslop enlisted in Tauranga.
22/04/2018 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.
22/04/2018 Private Heslop left Wellington sometime between 1st July 1941 and 30th September 1941 with the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force.
22/04/2018 Many thanks to Raymond Cuddy who informed us of this man in May 2017.
22/04/2018 Private Thomas Heslop is buried in Tripoli War Cemetery in Libya.
22/04/2018 Private Thomas Heslop is commemorated on Tauranga Cenotaph.
22/04/2018 The CWGC record Private Thomas Heslop as the son of Alexander Heslop and of Rachel Heslop (nee Truman) of Dungannon, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland.
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22/04/2018 Private Heslop is also commemorated on Tauranga WW2 RSA Memorial (Returned and Services' Association).
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22/04/2018 Thomas listed his sister, Elizabeth Heslop as his next of kin. She was living in Dungannon, County Tyrone. He was single.
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