S55463
DOWER, Thomas
| Service Number: | 2067 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 27 June 1916, at Adelaide |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 40th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Queenstown, South Australia, Australia, 3 February 1889 |
| Home Town: | Minlaton, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Alberton Public School |
| Occupation: | Farm Labourer |
| Memorials: | Minlaton War Memorial WW1, Queenstown Alberton Public School Great War Honor Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 27 Jun 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2067, 43rd Infantry Battalion, at Adelaide | |
|---|---|---|
| 28 Aug 1916: | Involvement Private, 2067, 43rd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '18' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Anchises embarkation_ship_number: A68 public_note: '' | |
| 28 Aug 1916: | Embarked Private, 2067, 43rd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Anchises, Adelaide | |
| 11 Nov 1918: | Involvement Private, 2067, 40th Infantry Battalion | |
| Date unknown: | Wounded 2067, 40th Infantry Battalion |
Help us honour Thomas Dower's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by St Aloysius College
On the 3rd of Febuary 1889 a woman by the name of Sarah Louise Dower and her husband Thomas James Dower brought into the world a beautiful, grey eyed and brown haired baby boy. They decided to name him Thomas.
Dower was raised in a big family with six other siblings Leonard James Dower, Edward George Dower, William Charles Dower, Horace Dower, Joseph George Dower and Alice Mary Dower. His mother was a domestic servant born in Dorset, a county in southwest England. She migrated to Australia in around 1850 on the STAG Lysander, which was a ship that transported passangers from England to Port Adelaide. As for Dower's father, infomation about him is currently unknown.
When Dower grew up he took up the occupation of a farm labourer. His job consisted of him doing various manual labour such as plowing feilds, putting up hay, harvesting crops, slaughtering animals and milking cows. which served as an advantage for him as it made his body fit and healthy for war.
On the 21st of June 1916 Dower enlisted for the war and was put in the 43rd Infantry Battalion. He later embarked on his long an tiring journy to Egypt on the HMAT Anchises A68.a, where his battalion briefly stayed and later went onwards to Britain for further training. At that point Doweer transferred to the 40th Battalion. In late December 1916 Dower and his unit arrived on the Western Front. Dower suffered from shell shock for a period in early January and then became ill in March 1917. He spent the rst of the year in and out of hospital and only returned to France in February 1918.
In 1918 the 40th Battalion was quickly sent to fight in the Somme valley. In march of 1918 the battalion met the German Spring Offense at Morlancourt. In August to September the battalin helped to drive the Germans back to the Hindeburg Line.
During Dower's years of serving he earned the British war medal and the victory medal. We will never forget Dower's tremendous service to our country and the sacrifices he made to protect and serve our country.
Click images to start slideshow.