Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Born on 18 June 1918 in Rose Park, South Australia
(SA Births 1907 - 1928. Book : 20A Page : 533 District : Nor.)

Father: Gen XVII Charles Albert Edward Fenner  (b. 18/05/1884 - d. 09/06/1955)
and
Mother Emma Louise (Peggy) Hirt (b. 19/08/1883 - d. 09/02/1966)
living at Rose Park, South Australia.

Charles Fenner, who had been appointed Director of Education in 1939, retired because of ill health in 1946. He then worked at home and as a volunteer at the South Australian Museum until he had a stroke early in 1954. He died on 9 June, 1955. The house at 42 Alexandra Avenue (see Chapter 1) was sold in November 1956 and Mother moved to a smaller house at 10 Springbank Road, Panorama, where she lived until 1964, when she went into a nursing home. She died on 9 February, 1966. Lyell's eldest son Ted lived in the house for about a year and then it was sold.

Siblings:
Charles Lyell FENNER  (b. 17/08/1912 in Melbourne, Victoria - d. 25/05/1997
Frank Johannes (John) FENNER  (b. 21/12/1914 in Ballarat, Victoria) 
    m. Ellen Margaret (Bobbie) Roberts
Winifred Joyce FENNER (b. 26/08/1916 in Ballarat, Victoria)
Thomas Richard FENNER (b. 18/06/1918 in Adelaide, South Australia)
William Greenock FENNER (b. 11/03/1922 in Adelaide, South Australia)

Next of kin in service:
Thomas (Thos) was named after his uncle.

5373 Private Thomas Richard Fenner, 14th Battalion of Yendon, Victoria.)
        29 August 1916 killed in action at Mouquet Farm, France,
        when a high explosive shell buried him in a dugout.
        Post war his body was not recovered and he is commemorated with honour on the
        Australian War Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux, France

Brother:
SX4845  Major Frank John Fenner (MBE)
              HQ 1 Australian Corps
             09/05/1940 enlisted in Paddington, SA - Captain Australian Army Medical Corps
             12/06/1940 commenced with 2/6 Australian Field Ambulance
             30/01/1946 discharged from service
Australia's most eminent living microbiologist. One of the WHO team that eradicated
small pox. Founder of the anti-rabbit toxin. Received a string of global and Australian
awards.
           

After Thomas completed his primary education at Rose Park Primary School, he went to
Thebarton Technical High School for one year and then to Unley High School, to study
subjects required for entry to the Naval College.

At the age of 14, on 1 September, 1932, he was admitted as a Cadet Midshipman to the
Royal Australian Naval College, then located on Westernport Bay in Victoria.

He graduated as a midshipman on 1 May 1936.

His parents visited London in 1937, they met with him while he was working as a
Lieutenant with the Royal Navy.

Promoted to Sub-Lieutenant on 16 November 1938.

Seconded to the Royal Navy in Britain from 30 January 1937, until 27 January, 1939.

Promoted to Lieutenant on 16 March 1940.

Promoted to Lieutenant-Commander on 16 March 1948 on HMAS Lonsdale.

He served with the Royal Australian Navy right through World War II.

Discharged on 26 January 1950, with the rank of Lieutenant-Commander.

He married Beverley Slaney on 12 February, 1942, while on leave.

They had one daughter, Vicki, born on 1 March 1943.

A few months later, because of a fire in the house, Beverley died of burns,
but daughter Vicki survived.

Some years later, Thos married again to Margaret Legge.

They had two children.

Later, when Vicki was about seven years old, Frank and his wife Bobbie adopted Vicki,
with Tom's approval.

After discharge from the Navy, Tom served for a few years with the Australian Security
and Intelligence Organisation, but he did not enjoy that and got a managerial job with
the firm that was involved with the construction of the Tullamarine Airport.

Early in 1964, he was diagnosed with lymphoma, which progressed rapidly in spite of
treatment.

He died on 21 September 1964, aged 46.

Submitted by Julianne T Ryan, thanks to Frank Fenner's information. 
05/01/2017  Lest we forget.