LEES, Thomas Joseph
| Service Number: | 3269 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 6 December 1915, 34th Infantry 3 years and 4 months |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 30th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Alexandria, New South Wales, Australia, June 1895 |
| Home Town: | Newtown (NSW), Inner West, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Newton Public School, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Wickerworker |
| Died: | Trench Feet, gangrene toes & embolus heart failure, 2nd Southern General Hospital, Bristol, England, United Kingdom, 21 December 1916 |
| Cemetery: |
Bristol (Arnos Vale) Roman Catholic Cemetery, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom Row D, Grave No. 2, Bristol (Arnos Vale) Roman Catholic Cemetery, Bristol, England, United Kingdom |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 6 Dec 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3269, 30th Infantry Battalion, 34th Infantry 3 years and 4 months | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 May 1916: | Involvement Private, 3269, 30th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '16' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Hororata embarkation_ship_number: A20 public_note: '' | |
| 2 May 1916: | Embarked Private, 3269, 30th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Hororata, Sydney |
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Add my storyBiography 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 – 21st December…… Private Thomas Joseph Lees was born in 1895 at Alexandria, New South Wales. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 11th December, 1915 as a 21 year old, single, Wickerworker from 520 King Street, Newtown, NSW.
Private Thomas Joseph Lees embarked from Sydney, NSW on HMAT Hororata (A20) on 2nd May, 1916 with the 8th Infantry Brigade, 30th Infantry Battalion, 7th Reinforcements & disembarked at Suez (no date recorded).
He proceeded overseas from Alexandria on 2nd August, 1916 per Franconia.
On 8th September, 1916 Private Lees was admitted to Marseilles Station Hospital, France. He was discharged to Convalescent Depot at Rouen then posted to 5th A.D.B.D. (Australian Divisional Base Depot) at Etaples from Marseilles on 13th September, 1916. Private Lees proceeded to join 30th Battalion from 5th A.D.B.D. on 28th September, 1916 & was taken on strength of 30th Battalion in France on 1st October, 1916.
Private Thomas Joseph Lees was absent from Tattoo Roll on 11th November, 1916. He was awarded 6 days Field Punishment No. 2 on 14th November, 1916.
On 29th November, 1916 Private Lees was evacuated sick. He was admitted to 1st Anzac on 29th November, 1916 with Trench Feet then transferred to Casualty Clearing Station the same day. Private Lees was transferred & admitted to 2nd General Hospital at Havre, France. He was reported as dangerously & seriously ill on 30th November, 1916.
Private Lees was invalided to England on 6th December, 1916 & admitted to 2nd Southern General Hospital, Bristol, England on 7th December, 1916 with Trench Feet - severe. The Hospital Admissions form reads: “Both feet attacked, toes of both feet gangrenous. Dorsum of feet blistered, dressed with picric acid. 21.12.16 Sat up in bed to have it made complained of some pain in chest, died in 10 minutes.”
Private Thomas Joseph Lees died suddenly on morning of 21st December, 1916 at 2nd Southern General Hospital, Bristol, England from Trench Feet, gangrene toes & embolus heart failure.
He was buried in Arnos Vale Roman Catholic Cemetery, Bristol, England where 6 other WW1 Australian Soldiers are laid to rest.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/arnos-vale-rc.html
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