Thomas Richard FENNER

FENNER, Thomas Richard

Service Number: 5373
Enlisted: 14 February 1916, Melbourne, Victoria
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 14th Infantry Battalion
Born: Talbot, Victoria, Australia, April 1892
Home Town: Dunach, Central Goldfields, Victoria
Schooling: Grey Brae State School
Occupation: School Teacher
Died: Killed in Action, Mouquet Farm, France, 29 August 1916
Cemetery: No known grave - "Known Unto God"
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Maryborough War Memorial, Talbot Dunach State School No 1412 Honor Roll WW1, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial (Australian National Memorial - France), Wandong War Memorial
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World War 1 Service

14 Feb 1916: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 5373, Melbourne, Victoria
4 Apr 1916: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 5373, 14th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '11' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Euripides embarkation_ship_number: A14 public_note: ''
4 Apr 1916: Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 5373, 14th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Euripides, Melbourne
29 Aug 1916: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 5373, 14th Infantry Battalion, Mouquet Farm

Help us honour Thomas Richard Fenner's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Julianne Ryan

Born 1892 in Dunach, Victoria

Father John Fenner 
(Gen XVI JOHANNES FENNER, born 10/02/1841 in Germany - d. 13/07/1923 Victoria)
migrated to Australia on Malaysian Fenner Line (1841-1923)
and
Mother Mary Walton (nee Thomas) Fenner
(b. 17/02/1852 Thebarton, SA - d. 14/02/1939 Dunach, near Talbot, Victoria)
lived at Yendon, Victoria.

A School Teacher in Yendon, Victoria

Next of kin in service:
Nephews
WWII - Lieutenant Commander (Royal Australian Navy) Thomas Richard Fenner
           Commander of HMAS Lonsdale
           Returned to Australia

WWII   Major Frank John Fenner
          

Described on enlisting as 23 years 9 months of age; single; 5' 6.5" tall; 152 lbs;
fresh complexion; blue eyes; brown hair; Church of England

14/02/1916    enlisted in Melbourne, Victoria

01/04/1916    appointed to 14th Battalion, 17th reinforcements, Broadmeadows Camp

04/04/1916    embarked from Port of Melbourne, Victoria, onboard HMAT A14 Euripides
                     as a Private in 14th Battalion, 17th reinforcements

21/07/1916    proceeded overseas to join British Expeditionary Forces, ex Rollestone, England

29/07/1916    marched in to 4th Divisional Base Depot, Etaples, France

12/08/1916    taken on strength of 14th Infantry Battalion, in the field, France

29/08/1916    Killed in Action at Mouquet Farm, Pozieres, France

Buried behind the Parados, while the 14th Battalion was in line in front of Mouquet Farm.

No known grave

Medals:         British War medal (35677) and Victory medal (35413)
                    Memorial Plaque and Scroll (308654)

His name is commemorated on the Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, France.

His name is commemorated on his parents grave at Amherst Cemetery, Victoria.

His name is commemorated on Panel 72 at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, ACT.

Sourced and submitted by Julianne T Ryan.  05/01/2017.  Lest we forget.

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Biography contributed by Andreena Hockley

Thomas Richard Fenner, son of Mr. John Fenner, of Yendon, near Ballarat, was born at Dunach, near Talbot, Victoria, on the 20th of April, 1892. He took service with this Department in 1908, being appointed junior teacher at School 954, Talbot. He was head teacher at No. 3429, Mt. Best, in 1912; at No. 1653, Clonbinane, from 1912-15 ; and at No. 3752, Glen Brae, up to the time of his enlistment. He is recorded as a very good teacher, sound and purposeful.

Of athletic tastes, he took a keen interest in the work of physical training in schools.

He enlisted on the 29th of January, 1916, and embarked with the 17th Reinforcements to the 14th Battalion. He put in a period of training in England, then went to France, joining his unit on the 12th of August. He was killed in action on the 29th. Before going to France, he was a member of a signalling unit at Rolleston Camp in England.

Source: The Education Department's Record of War Service, Victoria, 1914-1919.

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