Thomas Kynaston was born in 1883 at Oswestry. His parents were George and Lucy Kynaston; George was a baker. Thomas was the fourth eldest of six surviving children – Georgina, William, Reginald, Lucy and Florence. The family lived on Victoria Road, Oswestry. Thomas went into domestic service working in a succession of grand houses. He started at Swalcliffe Park in Oxfordshire (1901), which is now a school. Then at Underlea, Aigburth in Liverpool (1911); he was butler with a staff of 7 working for an aged widow. The house later became a school but is now gone. At the time of the war he was butler at Abermarlais Park at Llansadwrn near Llandovery, Mid Wales, now a caravan park.

Thomas enlisted at Brecon joining the 4 Bn South Wales Borderers soon after the outbreak of war. He went with the battalion to the Dardanelles and Gallipoli in July 1915. The battalion landed at ANZAC Cove on 3 August 1915 and fought at the Battle of Sari Bair, Russell’s Top and Hill 60. Thomas was KIA on 22 August 1915 when the battalion was moving up to the front near Damakjelik Bair as reinforcements. His body was lost and he is recorded on the Helles Memorial. He is also commemorated on the war memorials at Llansadwrn and at St Oswald’s Church in Oswestry where he is incorrectly listed as Royal Welsh Fusiliers. His parents still lived in Oswestry at 2 Powis Place.