THOMAS, William John
| Service Number: | 464 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 22 August 1914, 7 years in 4th Bn |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 2nd Australian Auxiliary Hospital - WW1 |
| Born: | Bootle Cul, Cumberland, England, July 1879 |
| Home Town: | Broken Hill, Broken Hill Municipality, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Miner |
| Died: | Bootle Cul, Cumberland, England, 5 July 1921, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Millom (St. George) Churchyard, Millom, Cumbria, England. INSCRIPTION HIS SUFFERINGS WERE GREAT HIS END WAS PEACE Grave B. 361. |
| Memorials: | Broken Hill Barrier District Roll of Honour, Broken Hill South Mine Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 22 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 464, 10th Infantry Battalion, 7 years in 4th Bn | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Oct 1914: | Involvement Private, 464, 10th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Ascanius embarkation_ship_number: A11 public_note: '' | |
| 20 Oct 1914: | Embarked Private, 464, 10th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ascanius, Adelaide | |
| 17 Nov 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 2nd Australian Auxiliary Hospital - WW1 | |
| 31 Jan 1920: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 464, 2nd Australian Auxiliary Hospital - WW1, England (family there) Medically unfit |
Help us honour William John Thomas's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon
Births Sep 1881
THOMAS William John Bootle 10b 653
Deaths Sep 1921 Thomas William J 39 Bootle 10b 674
Bootle is an alternative name for Bootle Cul and it is in the county of Cumberland.
He was 39 and the husband of Martha Thomas, nee Evans of 74, Lonsdale Rd., Millom.
Married 1905
Marriages Sep 1905
EVANS Martha Bootle 10b 1198
THOMAS William John Bootle 10b 1198
He features in the Millom Gazette Servicemen Index (7th August 1914 to 29th May 1925)
Biography contributed by Evan Evans
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland
Died on this date – 5th July .... Private William John Thomas was born at Bootle, near Millom, Cumberland, England. According to his age in the 1911 Census, William John Thomas was born around 1882. According to his age stated on his Attestation Papers, William John Thomas was born around 1879.
William John Thomas married Martha Evans on 28th August, 1905.
William John Thomas enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 22nd August, 1914 at Morphettville, South Australia as a 35 year old, married, Miner from Broken Hill, NSW. His next of kin was listed as his wife – Mrs H. Thomas, of 83 Lonsdale Road, Millom, Cumberland, England. William Thomas stated on his Attestation Papers that he had previously served for 7 years with 4th Battalion, Kings Own Royal Lancaster Regiment.
Private Thomas embarked from Adelaide on HMAT Ascanius (A11) on 20th October, 1914 with 10th Battalion. He later embarked from Alexandria on 2nd March, 1915 to join M.E.F. (Mediterranean Expeditionary Force) at Gallipoli.
Private Thomas was admitted to Casualty Clearing Station on 19th August, 1915 having suffered an Epileptic fit while at Gallipoli. He was transferred to Alexandria & a Medical Report was completed on 28th August, 1915 “Has had attacks of unconsciousness off and on during the last six months. These attacks last for a few minutes – he is then dazed and knows nothing for two or three hours. Coming from Anzac he had an attack. Attribute first attack to Typhoid inoculation. It was recommend that he be discharged permanently unfit (for active service) & to change to England – his family being in England. ”
Private Thomas was transferred & another Medical Report was completed on 28th October, 1915 where it was recommended that he be discharged as permanently unfit.
Private Thomas was transferred to No. 2 Auxiliary Hospital at Cairo with Epilepsy on 29th November, 1915 then transferred to Base Depot at Gheyireh on 10th December, 1915.
Private Thomas rejoined his Battalion on 10th March, 1916. He was transferred to Australian Army Medical Corps on 23rd March, 1916 & arrived in France on 3rd April, 1916.
Private Thomas was taken to Field Ambulance on 14th September, 1916 then admitted to Hospital at Boulogne, France on 17th September, 1916 with Dysentery. He was transferred to England on Hospital Ship & admitted to 3rd Northern General Hospital with Bronchitis on 5th November, 1916. Private Thomas was transferred to 2nd Australian Auxiliary Hospital on 13th November, 1916 with Bronchitis & Laryngitis & discharged on 29th November, 1916.
Private Thomas was taken on strength at 2nd Auxiliary Hospital at Southall, west London, England on 10th January, 1917. He was granted furlough from 22nd March to 6th April, 1917 then admitted to Hospital as a patient on 5th May, 1918 with an injury to his foot. Private Thomas was discharged to duty as Staff on 20th May, 1918.
Private Thomas was granted 75 days leave in UK from 25th October, 1918 & reported to 2nd Australian Auxiliary Hospital, London on 10th January, 1919. He was admitted as a patient on 11th April, 1919 with Scabies & was discharged to duty on 22nd April, 1919.
Private Thomas was transferred to A.M.C. at Fovant, Wiltshire on 6th May, 1919.
A Medical Report was completed on Private William John Thomas at Sutton Veny, Wiltshire on 5th October, 1919 regarding his disability of Dysentery which originated in August, 1915 at Gallipoli. He was found to be Temporarily Unfit for General Service for more than six months & fit for Home Service.
Private William John Thomas was discharged from the Australian Imperial Forces on 22nd October, 1919 being medically unfit after serving for 5 years & 62 days. He was discharged in the United Kingdom as his wife & daughter had a medical certificate stating that they were “both in a delicate state of health & ….unfit to undertake the journey to Australia.”
William John Thomas died on 5th July, 1921. He was buried in St. George’s Churchyard, Millom, Cumbria, England. Private W. J. Thomas is not commemorated on the Roll of Honour at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, Australia as the official cut-off date for inclusion on the Roll of Honour ends on 31st March, 1921 for World War 1.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/millom.html
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