Thomas Whiteway EALES DCM

Thomas Whiteway EALES DCM Update Details

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EALES, Thomas Whiteway

Service Numbers:	841, Commissioned
Enlisted:	4 February 1915, Place of enlistment - Broadmeadows, Victoria
Last Rank:	Lieutenant
Last Unit:	21st Infantry Battalion
Born:	Camberwell, Victoria, Australia, 1896
Home Town:	Lilydale, Yarra Ranges, Victoria
Schooling:	Camberwell Grammar School, Victoria, Australia
Occupation:	Law Clerk
Died:	Killed In Action, France, 19 May 1918
Cemetery:	Mericourt-L'Abbe Communal Cemetery Extension Plot III, Row B, Grave 4 Headstone Inscription "...NOTHING BUT WELL AND FAIR AND WHAT MAY QUIET US IN A DEATH SO NOBLE"
Memorials:	Lilydale Presbyterian Church Great War Honour Roll, Lilydale War Memorial

World War 1 Service

4 Feb 1915:	Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 841, 21st Infantry Battalion, Place of enlistment - Broadmeadows, Victoria
10 May 1915:	Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 841, 21st Infantry Battalion, Embarked on HMAT 'A38' Ulysses from Melbourne on 10th May 1915.
1 Jun 1915:	Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 21st Infantry Battalion
1 Sep 1915:	Promoted AIF WW1, Private, 21st Infantry Battalion, Reverted back to Private at own request
5 Aug 1916:	Wounded AIF WW1, Corporal, 841, 21st Infantry Battalion, Gunshot wounds to left arm and chest
27 Nov 1916:	Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 21st Infantry Battalion
25 Mar 1917:	Honoured Distinguished Conduct Medal, "For daring and valuable reconnaissance work on the 20th March 1917 near ECOUST when he volunteered to go forward alone and located an enemy Machine Gun which was then silenced by our rifle fire with several casualties. He led the advance and was the last man to leave the forward position when the action was broken off."
31 Aug 1917:	Promoted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 21st Infantry Battalion, Had attended No. 2 Officers Cadet Battalion at Pembroke College, Cambridge.
4 Oct 1917:	Wounded AIF WW1, Corporal, 841, 21st Infantry Battalion, Gunshot wound to neck.
18 Jan 1918:	Promoted AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 21st Infantry Battalion
19 May 1918:	Involvement AIF WW1, Lieutenant, Commissioned, 21st Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: awm_unit: 21st Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Lieutenant awm_died_date: 1918-05-19

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Biography contributed by Sharyn Roberts

Son of Thomas and Jane Margaret EALES, of "Cromarty," Lilydale, Victoria, Australia. Native of Camberwell, Victoria.

Distinguished Conduct Medal

'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He volunteered to go forward alone, and located an enemy machine gun, which was then silenced by our rifle fire, with several casualties.'
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 133
Date: 21 August 1917

The friends of Mr. Thomas Eales, solicitor, of Lilydale, feel sincere sympathy for him in the loss of his gallant son, Lieut. T. W. Eales, D.C.M., who fell in action in France on May 19. Lieut. Eales enlisted in 1915. He was one of the men on the ''Southland" when she was torpedoed; he saw service for some time on Gallipoli; was admitted to hospital, suffering from frostbite and jaundice; and later served in France, where he was wounded at Pozieres, in 1916. After his return to duty he gained the Distinguished Conduct Medal as a corporal, for conspicuous gallantry and devotion. He voluntarily went forward alone and located a German machine gun. He afterwards joined the 2nd Cadet Battalion of the Officers' Training Corps at Queen's College, Cambridge, and received his commission in October, 1917. He was 22 years of age when he was killed, after having been twice wounded. Mr. Eales' second son, Lieut. W. H. Eales, left as a driver in the artillery. He gained his commission in May, 1917. He is 31 years of age, and is on active service at the front.

Biography contributed by Daryl Jones

Biographical note: Lieutenant, DCM, 21st Bn, AIF. From file AWM93 0012/0011/1039. 19 May 1918 was killed in action at Ville-sur-Ancre. Law Clerk, of Lilydale, VIC; born Camberwell, VIC; educated at Camberwell Grammar School; became a law clerk but intended to become a Christian missionary; joined AIF 4 February 1915; left Egypt August 1915 for Gallipoli in "Southland" which was torpedoed off Lemnos 2 September 1915; was invalided from ANZAC with frostbite and jaundice; went to France, was wounded at Pozieres; won the DCM at Longatte in 1917; was wounded again October 1917, at Broodseinde; age at time of death 22 years 4 months. Two cousins also died in WWI - John Brinsden Vasey and Gilbert Joseph Brinsden.

Source : https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C92424

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