PRIEST, Thomas Edward
| Service Number: | 336 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 20 August 1914 |
| Last Rank: | Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 2nd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Euchareena, New South Wales, Australia., 14 January 1888 |
| Home Town: | Euchareena, Wellington, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Railway Fettler (track worker) |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Belgium, 20 September 1917, aged 29 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Commemorated at Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Flanders, Belgium. |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board, Koorawatha War Memorial Park Gates, Orange Holy Trinity Anglican Church Honour Board, Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 20 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 336 | |
|---|---|---|
| 18 Oct 1914: | Involvement Private, 336, 2nd Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Suffolk embarkation_ship_number: A23 public_note: '' | |
| 18 Oct 1914: | Embarked Private, 336, 2nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Suffolk, Sydney | |
| 15 Feb 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 2nd Infantry Battalion, Promoted in Egypt. | |
| 15 Jun 1916: | Wounded AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 336, 2nd Infantry Battalion, Gunshot wound to right leg. Evacuated to England where he was admitted to Chatham Military Hospital on 20th June 1916. | |
| 21 Jun 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Sergeant, 2nd Infantry Battalion, Promoted in France. | |
| 26 Oct 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 2nd Infantry Battalion, Promoted in France but sent to England the next day to the 1st NSW Training Battalion. | |
| 20 Sep 1917: | Involvement 336, 2nd Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 336 awm_unit: 2 Battalion awm_rank: Lance Sergeant awm_died_date: 1917-09-20 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by John Oakes
Thomas Edward PRIEST was born on 14th January 1888. He was born and raised at Euchareena, NSW. On 17th April 1912 he joined the NSW Government Railways and Tramways as a labourer in the Western Division of the Railways’ Permanent Way Branch. On 9th November 1912 he was discharged. However, on 28th January 1913 he re-joined the NSWGR&T, this time as an assistant fettler in the Western Division of the Railways’ Permanent Way Branch. On 7th April 1913 he became a fettler assigned to the Dubbo to Coonamble section. He transferred to the Blayney to Demondrille line on 13th July 1914 (with a reduction in pay). On 28th August 1914, he was granted leave to join the Expeditionary Forces.
Thomas joined the AIF on 20th August 1914 and was allocated to the 2nd Infantry Battalion with the rank of Private (Service Number 336). He nominated his father, Mr H Priest of Euchareena, as his next of kin.
He embarked for Egypt at Sydney on 18th October 1914 and disembarked at Alexandria in Egypt on 8th December 1914. At some stage, he was transferred to the Transport Section and he left Egypt on 30th August 1915. He re-joined the 2nd Infantry Battalion at Mudros on the Greek island of Lemnos on 10th September 1915 and returned to Egypt on 28th December 1915. On 15th February 1916 he was appointed to the rank of Lance Corporal.
On 22nd March 1916 Thomas embarked at Alexandria for France, disembarking at Marseilles on 28th March 1916. On 15th June 1916 he was wounded in action, receiving a gunshot wound to the right leg. This wound was sufficiently severe to require his evacuation to England where he was admitted to the Chatham Military Hospital on 20th June 1916. After a period in hospital followed by convalescence, he joined the 1st Training Battalion at Perham Downs on 1st August 1916 before he left to return to France on 5th September 1916.
Back in France he was at the 1st Australian Division Base Depot at Etaples from 6th September 1916 to 18th September 1916 when he re-joined the 2nd Infantry Battalion. On 26th October 1916 he was promoted to the rank of Corporal and the next day he was sent ‘on command’ to the 1st NSW Training Battalion in England, where he marched in on 30th October 1916. He remained with the 1st Training Battalion until 3rd May 1917 when he again left England for France. He marched in to the 1st Australian Division Base Depot the following day and stayed there until th7 May 1916 when he left to re-join his unit, which he did on 10th May 1917. On 21st June 1917 he was promoted to the rank of Lance Sergeant.
On 20th September 1917 he was killed in action at Menin Road in Belgium.
Depositions in his Red Cross Enquiry file give more information. Private G Charlton (5058) stated:
‘I know that Priest was killed while advancing to the upper trenches in front of Polygon Wood. A shell hit a log and a bit of flying timber hit his head and he died soon after and was buried near Hooge Crater, near Chateau Wood, by the pioneers.’
Sergeant D.K. Lindow (190) stated:
‘I saw him killed by a shell along the Menin Road. He was taken to a dressing station where preparations were made to bury him. I left shortly after so could not give any particulars. I knew him well. …’
S H Watkins (1889) elaborated:
‘[He] was hit in the head by a shell, was bandaged up and becoming delirious, tore the bandage off and died on the stretcher. This happened at Polygon Wood. … ‘
The site of Thomas’s grave could not be identified subsequently, and he is commemorated at the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Flanders, Belgium. His place of association is Euchareena, NSW.
- based on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll and notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board.
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