Thomas was born on March 29, 1893 at International Falls, Minnesota, USA to William and Louise Rice. In 1911 William and Louise and their children moved to Emo, Ontario.
On April 20, 1917, Thomas enlisted with the Army; Forestry Corps Regiment, Forestry Company – Southern Alberta Battalion, Regimental # 2288437, in Calgary. He listed his occupation as a logger. Tom embarked for England from Halifax on May 28, 1917 and proceeded to France on June 27, 1917. He was accidentally injured on December 11, 1917 while in the performance of military duty when he had slipped on ice on the oak skids and his foot became jammed between the log and the carriage on the skidway. Although the accident required hospitalization, Tom fully recovered. While stationed in France, Tom met Suzanne Chabau and they married a short time later.
Suzanne and Tom both embarked in Liverpool for Canada on RMS Minnedosa on March 8, 1919. The young couple arrived in Saint John, NB on March 17, 1919 and travelled to Calgary where Tom received his official discharge on demobilization on March 22, 1919.
Private Thomas Rice served in Canada, England and France and received the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
Tom and Suzanne again travelled by train to reach Grande Prairie where Tom filed on land in Bezanson known as Fitzsimmons. They had five children. After thirty years on the homestead, Tom and Suzanne decided to sell and move to Goldfields, Saskatchewan. Tom worked in the gold mines and travelled by dog sled in the winter and by boat in the summer. After four years at Goldfields, the Rice family moved to Edmonton. While there, Tom trained as a fitter and once he had completed the course, he was sent to Ontario. Tom and Suzanne worked in the same plant during World War Two – Tom as a fitter and Suzanne as an inspector. Suzanne passed away in 1969; Tom passed away in Hamilton on January 5, 1974
Source: Royal Canadian Legion Military Service Recognition Book Volume XII p 272 (also has picture of Tom)