Thomas Leslie BATHURST

BATHURST, Thomas Leslie

Service Number: 312
Enlisted: 17 August 1914, Place of Enlistment Sydney New South Wales
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 1st Divisional Train
Born: Surry Hills, New South Wales, Australia, 15 May 1891
Home Town: Bondi, Waverley, New South Wales
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Grocer
Died: Glenhuntly, Victoria, Australia, 9 October 1952, aged 61 years, cause of death not yet discovered
Cemetery: Not yet discovered
Memorials:
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World War 1 Service

17 Aug 1914: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 312, 1st Divisional Train, Place of Enlistment Sydney New South Wales
18 Oct 1914: Involvement Private, 312, 1st Divisional Train, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '21' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Afric embarkation_ship_number: A19 public_note: ''
18 Oct 1914: Embarked Private, 312, 1st Divisional Train, HMAT Afric, Sydney
25 Sep 1915: Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 312, ANZAC / Gallipoli, GSW to elbow
15 Nov 1915: Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 312, Returned to Australia

Thomas Leslie Bathurst.

Thomas Bathurst was a Grocer in civilian life, He was married to Catherine. He enlisted in August 1914 at the age of 23 into the Australian Army Service Corps. (AASC). On 11 September 1915 he was landed at Gallipoli, on 25 September he was wounded in a gunshot to the elbow and was transferred from Gallipoli to Mina in Egypt. His wounds were such that he was found unfit for Active Service and was returned to Australia in November and discharged in the following January.

Very quickly he became involved with the Returned Soldiers Sssociation as an organiser, by June 1916 he was the secretary of the are RSA which was the forerunner of the Returned and Services Imperial league of Australia (RSL). Along with others the fought for better treatment and conditions for the wounded men and also for support for their wives and the widows of those killed. Sometime in the 1920s he moved to Melbourne and became involved as a member at Caulfield RSL, and continued campaigning for the rights of returned soldiers.

He will be best remembered as the undertaker that established Bathurst Funerals located on the corner of Kooyong and Glenhuntly Road. He was instrumental in the club setting up a provident fund for members, so that in the event of death or serious illness club members could get assistance from their mates. From the club records we know that he also arranged the funerals free of charge for many members and other returned men who died penniless. He himself died in 1952.

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