SHEARS, Thomas Frederick
| Service Number: | 554 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 28 December 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 34th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Minmi, New South Wales, Australia, 21 February 1880 |
| Home Town: | Minmi, Newcastle, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Minmi Public School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Miner |
| Died: | Killed in action , France, 9 April 1918, aged 38 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Minmi Roll of Honour, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 28 Dec 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 554, 34th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 May 1916: | Involvement Private, 554, 34th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Hororata embarkation_ship_number: A20 public_note: '' | |
| 2 May 1916: | Embarked Private, 554, 34th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Hororata, Sydney |
Help us honour Thomas Frederick Shears's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Evan Evans
From Gary Mitchell, Sandgate Cemetery
Let us remember a Fallen soldier of The Great War memorialised at Mimi Cemetery, N.S.W.
On the 9th April 1918, Private Thomas Frederick Shears, referred to as Frederick or Fred and "Tough", 34th Battalion (cook, Reg No-554), miner from near Workshop (School Hill), Minmi, New South Wales, was Killed in Action between 3 and 4.30 p.m. by enemy high explosive shell fragments, Villers-Bretonneux, northern France, age 38 years 1 month.
Born at Minmi, New South Wales on the 21st February 1880 to Frank (died 15.3.1911, Minmi, N.S.W., age 65, buried at Right Hand Side, Section 02, Plot 041), from near Workshop (School Hill), Minmi, N.S.W., and Jane Shears nee Sneddon (died 13.5.1917, Minmi, N.S.W., age 62 years 11 months, mother of 10, sleeping at Right Hand Side, Section 02, Plot 041), from near Workshop (School Hill), Minmi, N.S.W., Fred enlisted on the 28th December 1915, age 35 years 10 months, at West Maitland, N.S.W.
Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales on board HMAT A20 Hororata on the 2nd May 1916.
Disembarked Plymouth, England 23.6.1916.
Proceeded O/Seas to France from Southampton, England 21.11.1916.
Admitted to hospital 31.5.1917 (haemolysis).
Re-joined unit from hospital 4.6.1917.
Granted leave to England from 2.12.1917 to 19.12.1917.
Reported wounded in action 10.4.1918.
Reported KIA 13.4.1918.
I am unsure if they produced a Roll of Honour.
Also for cousin Private William Leslie Hunter Sneddon, referred to as Leslie, 34th Battalion, Reg No-896, KIA 7.6.1917, Battle of Messines, Belgium, memorialised at Minmi Cemetery.
Fred’s name has been inscribed on the Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, France.
Place of Association - Minmi, New South Wales, Australia.
Fred’s name has also been inscribed on the Minmi Roll of Honour as Thomas Frederick, Greta Soldiers' Obelisk as Frederick, and the Greta & Branxton Municipal Roll of Honor as Frederick. Name possibly inscribed on the Minmi Lodge No.72 M.U.I.O.O.F. Roll of Honour, unveiled on the 26th July 1916, 19 names inscribed but not stated who they are, no photo and whereabouts unknown. Father Frank was a member.
Younger brother Pte Harry Shears (born 14.7.1894, Minmi, New South Wales, single miner from near Workshop (School Hill), Minmi, N.S.W., enlisted 20.12.1915, age 21 years 5 months, at Newcastle, N.S.W., unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales on board HMAT A24 Benalla on the 1st May 1916, KIA 8.6.1917, age 22 years 11 months, Battle of Messines, Belgium, name inscribed on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial (Panel 35), Belgium.
I have placed poppies at the memorialised Shears gravesite in remembrance of the service and supreme sacrifice of their 2 sons for God, King & Country. Minmi Cemetery. Right Hand Side, Section 02, Plot 041.
Many thanks to Pat Healion, Jeanette Park and Ros Cheetham for the notification.
Many thanks to Ken Scott for the following information, December 2025.
Fred (Tough) Shears was the first opponent for Minmi boxer Bobby Whitelaw, who later became the first and only one of two to defeat legendary boxer Les Darcy. The sister of the 2 brothers kept a large picture of each brother hanging in her home, not far from where I grew up.
Contact with descendants would be greatly appreciated.
Lest We Forget.
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