Thomas Ernest Middleton was born at Lyddington on 16 August 1879, and was farming with his father in Coningsby, Lincolnshire, before the war. He was married and had three children. Thomas had already had a career as a soldier, serving with the Leicestershire Yeomanry during the Boer War. He was called up to rejoin the Colours on 16 January 1917 at the age of 37. He enlisted in the Royal Garrison Artillery and went out to France on 1 October 1917, serving with C Battery 86th Army Brigade. Within six weeks he was dead. He had been wounded in the right hand and leg, which then had to be amputated. His family was told he was being treated in a hospital in Rouen, but before they could travel out to see him, his elderly father died. Thomas died very soon afterwards. His wife heard about his death as she attended the funeral of his father. Thomas is buried in Rouen at St Sever Cemetery Extension, grave P.III.P.4B, and is remembered on the war memorial at Lyddington.