Capt. Thomas Higginson (Shropshire Light Infantry).

Our most recent grief has been compounded by the news that on the day after the death of Leslie Eastwood, his friend and colleague on the OPS staff,  ‘Higgie,’ was killed in a most tragic accident.

The Commanding Officer’s letter to his parents explains the circumstances of his death:

“He was sitting in a dug-out with another officer about 1.30 a.m. yesterday morning, the 20^th September, when the roof collapsed. He had spent most of the day before altering it and adding more bricks and earth to make it proof against shell fire. He must have put on more than the beams could stand, as it gave way.”

Higgie was educated at Ludlow Grammar School and won an Exhibition to Balliol College, Oxford. Here he helped his parents keep him at College by journalism, and made quite a large sum by his contributions to the ‘Westminster’ and ‘Pall Mall’ magazines, amongst others.

In the holidays, with congenial friends, he used to pose as a tramp. They hired a barrel-organ and would sing (in harmony) as they moved around the country, seeing life from a different standpoint to the ordinary one.

He leaves behind Winifred, his wife of only 4 months.