WRIGHT, Thomas Stanley
| Service Number: | 5242 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 8 February 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 6th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Bendigo, Victoria, Australia, date not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Bendigo, Greater Bendigo, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Gravel Hill School |
| Occupation: | Carpenter |
| Memorials: | Bendigo East Bendigo School Memorial Plaques, Bendigo Great War Roll of Honor |
World War 1 Service
| 8 Feb 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 5242, 6th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Apr 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 5242, 6th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '8' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Suffolk embarkation_ship_number: A23 public_note: '' | |
| 4 Oct 1917: | Honoured Military Medal, Broodseinde Ridge, see personal stories |
Awarded the Military Medal
'On 4th October, 1917, during the operations on BROODSEINDE RIDGE east of YPRES.
The attack commenced at 6am October 4, 1917 after rain commenced falling the day before. Coincidentally, the Germans planned an attack for exactly the same time. At 5.20am the German artillery opened up and then at 6am the Australian artillery started, both in preparation for impending attacks. After both troops emerged from their trenches to commence attacking to their surprise they found the enemy doing exactly the same. The Australians managed to recover from the shock quicker than their opponents as the Australian machine gunners opened up and cut the German lines to pieces. The Germans broke and the Australians managed to capture the ridge. The triumph at Broodseinde presented the Allied High Command with an opportunity, perhaps in the upcoming spring, of breaking the German hold.
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 31
Date: 7 March 1918
Submitted 21 October 2019 by Steve Larkins
Biography contributed by Jack Coyne
THOMAS STANLEY WRIGHT
Military Medal recommendation -
'On 4th October, 1917, during the operations on BROODSEINDE RIDGE east of YPRES, this man with one other did all the running from Battalion Headquarters for nearly 48 hours. He displayed courage of a very high order taking messages under heavy fire until he became a casualty.'
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 31
Date: 7 March 1918
‘Few citizens of Bendigo have made the patriotic sacrifices that Mr. and Mrs. Alvah Wright, of Charleston Road, have done during the present war. These well known citizens have given their three sons to the service of the Empire and have unquestionably done their duty nobly and well.’[1] This is how the article titled, ‘ANSWER THE EMPIRE'S CALL’ commenced in The Bendigo Independent on Monday March 13, 1916.
Tom Wright was the second youngest son of Alvah Wright and was an apprentice carpenter to his father in East Bendigo. Tom left with his elder brother George with the reinforcements for the 6th Battalion.
Under the heading, ‘Bendigo Boys in Egypt’, the Bendigo Independent reported the following in May 1916: -
Mr. Alvah Wright, contractor, of Charleston Road, yesterday received cables from his two sons, Sergeant George and Pte. Thomas Wright, stating that they had arrived safely in Egypt, and were in excellent health and spirits. Mr. Wright's other son, Charles, who left with the First Expeditionary Force, and was at the landing at Gallipoli, was reported missing, and nothing has been heard from him since. Recently letters written by the lad's relatives were returned with an official notice enclosed stating that prisoners in Turkey were only allowed to receive four lines. It would, therefore, appear that Pte. Charles Wright is a prisoner in the hands of the Turks. Mr. Wright has communicated with Senator Pearce, and every effort is being made to trace the lad.’[2]
More sobering news would be reported in the
Bendigo Advertiser a year later in May 1917: -
‘Mr. Alvah Wright, of 55 Charleston-road, has received word from the Defence department that his son Thomas Stanley Wright of the 6th Battalion has been wounded in France. The wound is not stated to be serious. Mr Wright has already lost two other sons at the front—one at Gallipoli and one in
France. Prívate Thomas S. Wright, who is 23 years of age left Melbourne for the front on the 1st April last year, and has seen much fighting in France. He fought all through the great battle of the Somme, where his brother George was killed on the 8th December last year, and was in other heavy engagements in which the Australians took such a prominent part.’[3]
Photo from National Archives Australia Gallery; Thomas Stanley Wright, Service no. 5242.
Regimental No. 5242
Place of birth: Bendigo
Religion: Church of England
School: Gravel Hill School
Occupation: Carpenter
Address: 55 Charlston Road, Bendigo, Victoria
Marital status: Single
Age at enlistment: 21
Next of kin: Father, A Wright, 55 Charlston Road, East Bendigo
Enlistment date: 21 December 1915 & 8 February 1916
Unit name 6th Battalion, 16th Reinforcement
Embarked: HMAT A23 Suffolk on 1 April 1916
Final Rank: Private
Fate: Returned to Australia 5 September 1919
'On 4th October, 1917, during the operations on BROODSEINDE RIDGE east of YPRES.
The attack commenced at 6am October 4, 1917 after rain commenced falling the day before. Coincidentally, the Germans planned an attack for exactly the same time. At 5.20am the German artillery opened up and then at 6am the Australian artillery started, both in preparation for impending attacks. After both troops emerged from their trenches to commence attacking to their surprise they found the enemy doing exactly the same. The Australians managed to recover from the shock quicker than their opponents as the Australian machine gunners opened up and cut the German lines to pieces. The Germans broke and the Australians managed to capture the ridge. The triumph at Broodseinde presented the Allied High Command with an opportunity, perhaps in the upcoming spring, of breaking the German hold.[4]
[1] The Bendigo Independent (Vic. : 1891 - 1918) Mon 13 Mar 1916 Page 3
[2] The Bendigo Independent, Tue 16 May 1916 Page 6 BENDIGO BOYS IN EGYPT.
[3] Bendigo Advertiser, Tue 22 May 1917 Page 3 PRIVATE T. S. WRIGHT.
[4] ANZACS in France website - http://www.anzacsinfrance.com/1917/
Click images to start slideshow.