TOMLINSON, William
| Service Number: | 1840 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 7 August 1915, Moree, New South Wales |
| Last Rank: | Lance Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 45th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Ingleton, Yorkshire, England, 1883 |
| Home Town: | Sydney, City of Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Railway Cleaner |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Belgium, 13 October 1917 |
| Cemetery: |
Passchendaele, New British Cemetery XIV. E. 8 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board, Moree ANZAC Centenary Memorial, Moree Memorial Hall Boer War & WW1 Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 7 Aug 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1840, Moree, New South Wales | |
|---|---|---|
| 17 Dec 1915: | Involvement Private, 1840, 30th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '16' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Berrima embarkation_ship_number: A35 public_note: '' | |
| 17 Dec 1915: | Embarked Private, 1840, 30th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Berrima, Sydney | |
| 7 Oct 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 45th Infantry Battalion | |
| 13 Oct 1917: | Involvement Lance Corporal, 1840, 45th Infantry Battalion , Third Ypres, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 1840 awm_unit: 45 Battalion awm_rank: Lance Corporal awm_died_date: 1917-10-13 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by John Oakes
William TOMLINSON was born in Yorkshire, England. He married in Liverpool, England, in 1904 and had a daughter. In 1905 he and his wife separated. In 1908 he emigrated, alone, to Australia.
He was 29-years-old when he joined the NSW Government Railways as a cleaner at Narrabri West locomotive depot in February 1914. This was unusually old for the role, which was the first step in a career path leading to appointment as an engine driver.
He enlisted in August 1915 at Moree as a single man. He was sent to Egypt in 1916 and then on to the Western Front. He had a few days in hospital with ‘chafe’,. He needed dental attention in October. After that he spent a couple of months on base details before rejoining his Battalion in Belgium in February 1917.
His wife, living in Lancashire, made a claim around that time for allotment of a portion of his pay. On investigation by the authorities, although Tomlinson refused to sign the allotment form, a default allotment of three-fifths of his pay was made.
He was appointed Lance Corporal ‘in the field’ on 7th October, 1917. He was killed in action on 13th October 1917. He was buried in Passchendaele New British Cemetery.
His widow and child were granted pensions by the authorities.
- based on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll and notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board.
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