Thomas Ankers was born in Crewe in Cheshire in 1883, the son of Joseph and Mary Ankers. In the 1901 census, Thomas was listed as a railway engine fitter. In the 1911 census, he was reported to be living at 24, Kent Street, Barrow in Furness, Lancashire with his wife, Martha Hannah Ankers and two-year-old son, Hubert, and was described as a Marine Fitter.

Thomas Ankers was on board HMS THETIS when it sank in Liverpool Bay on 1 June 1939, and had travelled to Birkenhead to join THETIS on Tuesday 30 May. His date of death was recorded as 3 June 1939. Thomas Ankers was buried privately in a plot, adjacent to the Church in St. Michael’s Churchyard, Rampside near Barrow in Furness as follows:

Thomas Ankers, following identification at the inquest on 12 September, was taken by rail to Barrow the same day. The funeral took place the following day at St. Michael’s, Rampside and the coffin was borne by Barrow colleagues and laid to rest alongside that of his only son Hubert, who died in July 1921 aged 13. The service was conducted by the Vicar of Rampside, the Rev. H. Robinson and, besides the widow and other relatives, there were present Mr. J. Callander (general manager), Mr W. Johnson (engineering works manager), and others representing the Naval Construction Works. Also present was Lieut. (E) D. A. Cotman, assistant to the Admiralty Overseer at Barrow, and members of the Royal Navy. Amongst the many floral tributes were those from Sir Charles and Lady Craven: the directors and staff of the Naval Construction Works, Barrow: the Admiralty Engineer Overseer, Barrow: Mr W. Johnson and the Barrow Submarine Dock Depot.

The final episode was played out when Mrs. Hannah Ankers, was interned alongside her husband and son in January 1943, she was 60 years old.