SHANLEY, Thomas Martin
Service Number: | 3256 |
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Enlisted: | 1 September 1915, Perth, Western Australia |
Last Rank: | Private |
Last Unit: | 1st ANZAC Cyclist Battalion |
Born: | Penola, South Australia, 13 July 1877 |
Home Town: | Cowandilla, City of West Torrens, South Australia |
Schooling: | Mary MacKillop St Josephs School, Penola |
Occupation: | Mill Hand |
Died: | Adelaide, South Australia, 14 October 1937, aged 60 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
Cemetery: |
West Terrace Cemetery (General) Adelaide, South Australia Section: Catholic Western Ground; Row #F; Site #71. |
Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
1 Sep 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Perth, Western Australia | |
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18 Jan 1916: |
Involvement
AIF WW1, Private, 3256, 28th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '16' embarkation_place: Fremantle embarkation_ship: HMAT Medic embarkation_ship_number: A7 public_note: '' |
|
18 Jan 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 3256, 28th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Medic, Fremantle | |
14 Mar 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3256, 2nd ANZAC Cyclist Battalion | |
12 May 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3256, 1st ANZAC Cyclist Battalion | |
12 Jun 1918: | Discharged AIF WW1 | |
Date unknown: | Involvement 28th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières |
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Born 13 July 1877 in Penola, South Australia
(SA Birth Record 1842 - 1906 Book: 185 Page: 446 District: Gre.)
Father Thomas Mahon SHANLEY (a stonemason / builder in Penola, SA)
m. 21/1/1872 Penola, SA
Mother Jane Mary Ann (nee BRITT)
(b. 1852 Penola - d. 22/4/1896 Port Augusta Cemetery RC sect Block 18 / Grave 8)
living in Penola, South Australia.
Siblings
Brother William Thomas SHANLEY
(b. 23/4/1873 in Penola, SA - d. 24/8/1891 Port Augusta 18 years old)
SA Birth record 1842 - 1906 Book: 120 Page: 455 District: Gre.
Brother John Mahon SHANLEY
(b. 21/7/1875 in Kingston, SA - d. 24/11/1948 St Anne's Hospital, Mt Lawley, WA)
SA Birth record 1842 - 1906 Book: 154 Page: 311 District: Wel.
last lived at 146 Joel Terrace, Mt Lawley, WA
buried in: Karrakatta Cemetery, WA
(Section: Roman Catholic; Section: JC; Grave: 0146)
- husband of Louie
- father of Jim, Lorrie (Mrs K Treacy) and Gelta (Mrs J Peterkin)
- brother-in-law of Kevin and Jack; Maud Baker; Annie & Gordon Andrews;
Lil and Harry Larkin
- grandfather of Robert and Ian
- uncle of Mick and Audrey & baby Marilyn; Coral, Ron and Mary & baby Johnny
Sister Mary Ellen SHANLEY
(b. 15/9/1880 in North Adelaide, SA - d.
Sister Ella Matilda Hall (nee SHANLEY)
(b. 31/10/1883 in Adelaide, SA - d. 8/11/1949 North Adelaide, SA)
m. ___ Hall, living at 22 Grattan Street, Adelaide, SA.
buried in West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide, SA.
***1896 issue at Port Augusta between Ella Matilda Shanley & John Andrew Moule ***
John Andrew MOULE
1st marriage 22/4/1878 St Paul's Church, Adelaide, SA
Jane NETHERCOTT (b. 1855 - d. ____)
Sibling:
Brother: Alfred Albert Sidney MOULE
(b. 22/9/1881 Portland (now Pt Adelaide, SA) - d. ____)
Jane Mary Ann SHANLEY (nee BRITT)
- 2nd marriage:- to
John Andrew MOULE (b. 1851 in Caistor North Lincolnshire - d. ____)
Siblings:
Brother Alfred Andrew MOULE (b. 27/7/1887 Exeter, SA - d. ____)
m. 14/3/1917 Annie LEE in St Patricks Church, Ingham QLD
Sister Clara Jane MOULE (b. 12/11/1889 Exeter SA - d. 8/9/1955 Rosewater, SA)
m. 1912 Christopher Harry TANNER
Brother Edwin Harold MOULE (b. 8/5/1893 Davenport (now Wilmington SA - d. ____)
Niece: Gertrude MOULE (b. 13/11/1908 in Fullarton, SA - d. ____)
(daughter to Clara and unnamed father)
Prior to embarking Thomas lived at 108 Stirling Street, Perth, Western Australia.
Described on enlisting as 38 years 1 month old; single; 5' 6" tall; 144 lbs;
sallow complexion; brown eyes; dark hair; Roman Catholic
24/8/1915 Enlisted in Perth, Western Australia
1/9/1915 Private in 27th Depot
1/11/1915 Commanding Officer appointed Thomas to 7th reinforcements, 28th Battalion
Blackboy Hill Camp
18/1/1916 Embarked from Fremantle, Western Australia, on board HMAT Medic A7
as a Private with 7th Infantry Brigade, 28th Infantry Battalion, 7th reinforcements
16/2/1916 disembarked into Alexandria
On the 10th March 1916, the Australian Army circulated a memorandum (No.32) regarding
the formation of the Cyclist Corp. The Corp was formed in Egypt and was initially made up
of volunteers in the 1st and 2nd Divisions and in April 1915 the 4th and 5th Divisions were
formed.
14/3/1916 transferred to 2nd Australian Division Cyclists Corp, Suez Canal
19/3/1916 proceeded to join British Expeditionary Forces, ex Alexandria
30/3/1916 disembarked into Marseille, France
The Standard issue cycle was made by BSA (Birmingham Small Arms Company).
The Australian cyclists in Egypt had to persevere with a variety of BSA bicycles ranging from
the Mark 1 to the Mark IV. It was not until July 1915 that the Mark IV was introduced, fitted
with hand-operated rear brakes, and a freewheeling hub in place of the coaster hub.
Shortly after the Australian cyclists had reached France, this bicycle became the standard
issue to cyclist units.
The Cyclists were also given Lee Enfield SMLE .303 rifles which they normally slung over
their shoulder but bikes were fitted with clips to carry the rifles, as well as straps and clips
for the soldiers personal equipment. The units were also equipped with lightweight machine
guns. The Cyclists arrived in northern France in June 1916 and formed into II Anzac Corp
Cyclists Battalion.
During the war the Cyclist Battalion undertook many tasks including, forming guards to
escort the Corps Commander, traffic direction, frontline fighting, delivery of dispatches and
cable burying. The Cyclists became so proficient at cable burying, they could lay large
distances in a short time and eventually became the supervisors of cabling operations.
They also provided work parties for various other battalions, including the Engineers and
were often attached to other units and battalions.
12/5/1916 taken on strength into 1st ANZAC Cyclists Battalion
9/7/1916 taken on strength of reorganised 1st ANZAC Cyclist Battalion
Commanding Officer of this unusual unit for most of WWI was Victorian Major Jack Hindhaugh.
This battalion had been described as "the wrong unit, in the wrong place, at the wrong time,
trench warfare was not conducive to cycle charges." Tasks of the unit included 'directing traffic,
unloading traffic, unloading railway wagons, harvesting hops and local families, and burying
the dead'.
20/6/1917 admitted sick to 1st Field Ambulance
28/7/1917 marched out to unit, Rouelles, France
2/8/1917 rejoined 1st ANZAC Cyclist Battalion, France
The 1st ANZAC Cyclists Battalion never served in the front line as a fighting unit, but it was
exposed to regular bombardments by artillery and aircraft. Cyclist detachments, however,
took part in the last stages of the war, as the German Army retreated from the trench systems
to the Hindenburg Line.
24/11/1917 sick with chronic Bronchitis - France
admitted to 7th Australian Field Ambulance, France
15/12/1917 admitted to 10th Australian Field Ambulance, France
21/12/1917 admitted to 11th Field Ambulance, France
28/12/1917 transferred to 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station, France
30/12/1917 transferred to 55th General Hospital, Boulogne, France
1/1/1918 embarked on board HS St Denis for England
2/1/1918 admitted 2nd Southern General Hospital, Bristol, England
14/1/1918 transferred to 3rd Auxillary Hospital, Dartford, England
30/1/1918 discharged to No.3 Command Depot, Dartford
5/2/1918 marched in to No.2 Command Depot, Hurdcott, England
12/3/1918 Embarked on board Kenilworth Castle to return to Australia
with chronic bronchitis
12/6/1918 discharged from service in AIF
Medals:
British War medal (8853) and Victory medal (8814)
19/4/1926 married Mary Ellen FOX (known as "ELLEN")
at St Raphael's Church, Young Street, Parkside, SA
(b. 4/4/1888 Kent Town SA - d. 21/9/1978 90 yrs of age)
SA Birth record 1842 - 1906 Book: 246 Page: 307 District: Ade.
Mary last lived in Kings Park, SA
(father Martin FOX and mother Ann Fox (nee HAYES).
buried in: West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide, SA
Section: Catholic Western Ground; Row #F; Site #71
**** buried with Thomas Martin Shanley ****
children
son - Raymond Thomas Shanley (b. 11/6/1927 Mile End, SA - d. _____)
daughter - Ann Patricia Cooper (nee Shanley) - (b. 7/12/1928 Keswick - still alive in 2016)
daughter - Margaret Shanley
Last lived at Cowandilla, South Australia.
14/10/1937 Thomas passed away (60 years old)
(SA Death record Symbol: H; Book: 595; Page: 4215)
buried in: West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide, South Australia
Section: Catholic Western Ground; Row #F; Site #71
On behalf of Thomas's daughter and a dear friend Mrs Ann Cooper (nee Shanley).
Sourced and submitted by Julianne T Ryan. 6/5/2015. Lest we forget.