BYERS, Thomas Leslie
| Service Number: | 2157 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 5th Light Horse Regiment |
| Born: | Not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 11 Mar 1916: | Involvement Private, 2157, 5th Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '2' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Orsova embarkation_ship_number: A67 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 11 Mar 1916: | Embarked Private, 2157, 5th Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Orsova, Sydney |
Tom
THOMAS (TOM) LESLIE BYERS
No:2157A CORPORAL
LEWIS GUNNER
15TH/5TH LIGHT HORSE REGIMENT
& 3rd BATTALION CAMELCORP
Thomas was born in Charters Towers, to John & Jessie (McLean) on the 03.10.1894, and attended Charters Towers State School.
Served in the 27th ( Nth Qld) Light Horse (Militia). He enlisted on the 30.10.1915, in Townsville and embarked from Sydney on the “Orsova” on the 11.3.1916 bound for Suez, Egypt. He was transferred to the Imperial Camel Corps and on the 30.12.1917 & promoted to Lance Corporal, and 7 months later he was promoted to Corporal. He saw active service in the Sinai and Palestine. He returned to Australia on the 9.7.1919. His brother Alick Byers was killed in action in Polygon Wood, Belgium on the 20.09.1917.
Tom married Isabella Mary Brook on the 27.9.1921. Thomas operated a high class tailor business in Main Street (near the present site of Deicke’s Arcade), Proserpine between 1921— 1963.
Their son John Alexander Byers enlisted in WW2 and as a Sergeant in the Armoured Regiment, he spent 1 and a half years in Bougainville. With the fear of Japan invading Australia, Mr Byers moved the women and children out west.
Tom Byers passed away on the 10.9.1971 at the age of 76 years. Buried in Proserpine Old Cemetery, NP5 grave 213
Submitted 2 January 2025 by Lyn Burke