Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Thomas Massey was born in June 1889 in Warrington, Lancashire, England, and grew up on Allen Street in a middle class English house. His mother, Mrs A. Massey, and his father, Mr A.W. Massey, raised him there. He followed the Roman Catholic faith. He worked as a steward, serving and looking after many people on trains or ships. He had brown eyes, black hair and fair skin, he was 5’6 tall and weighed only 55kg.. Massey served in the Royal Marine Light Infantry before serving in World War One.

He migrated from his hometown to Australia at the age of 25 years old. At Morphettville, South Australia, he enlisted for war on the 19th of August 1914.

Thomas Massey embarked from Adelaide, South Australia, on board Transport A11 Ascanius on 20th October 1914. He arrived in Egypt where he attended Mena Camp, this was where most ANZAC’s trained. While in war, Massey fought at Gallipoli and the Western Front, where he was located in the Ypres sector in Belgium. Massey was not only a solider but a sergeant, he led many groups of soldiers to battle while undertaking this role. 

During early 1915 he was admitted to No. 1 Australian Dermatological Hospital, Abbassia,” on the 15th of  February 1916. He was discharged on the 28th of February 1916 meaning he spent a total of 14 days being treated. After, Massey was transferred to the 50th Battalion on the 2nd of April 1916. He was then later promoted to Corporal on May 1st, 1916, due to his hard work during battles.

Massey continued fighting many battles in his battalion. During one of these battles, on the 25th of June 1916, he was wounded in action. On the same day, he was “admitted to No. 3 Field Ambulance” for “contusion, gunshot wound, right shoulder and left forearm.” He was then transferred three more times, first to No. 1 Casualty Clearing Station, on the 26th of June 1916, then to No. 2 Canadian Stationary Hospital, Outrean, on the 28th of June 1916. Finally, he was moved to England on the 20th of June 1916 where he was transferred to the County of London War Hospital, on the 2nd of September 1916. Massey then “moved to No. 1 Command Depot, Perham Downs, on the 21st of September 1916 (Class B1A).”

After Massey’s tedious recovery he transferred to the 70th Battalion on the 23rd of March 1917. The battalion went “on Command at School of Instruction for Lewis Gunners, Tidworth, on the 24th of June 1917.” He then left on the 31st of August 1917 for Overseas Training to have the duty as an instructor. He continued this training in Perham Downs on the 1st of September 1917. After this duty training he was promoted to Lance Sergeant on the 6th of September 1917, only seven days after leaving. Massey was then transferred to the 50th Battalion on the 19th of September 1917 after receiving this promotion.

While in the 50th Battalion he led many battles as Lance Sergeant. He fought one particular battle “near Jean-court, north-west of St. Quentin, on 13th September 1918, during a strong hostile counterattack, he took a Lewis gun out of the trench and moved forward alone under heavy machine gun and shell fire to an exposed position in the open, from which he could enfilade the counter attacking enemy, on whom he inflicted heavy casualties. He was of tremendous assistance in repulsing the counterattack. On the same day he undertook a patrol in face of heavy machine gun fire, and established touch with a flank position.” This was the exact explanation of his battle which was written on his letter of recommendation. Due to his bravery, Massey won a Distinguished Conduct Medal “for his gallantry and good work during battles.” Due to his leadership he was promoted to sergeant the same day.

Overall, he spent 4 years and 166 days at war of which 4 years 44 days were abroad. He commenced his return to Australia from Taranto, Italy, on board HT ‘Port Sydney’, on the 13th of September 1918. He left Melbourne on the 2nd of December 1918 and was discharged from the army in Adelaide on the 31st of January 1919 finally terminating his enlistment in the army.

Massey survived the war and married Dolly Massey at 33 years old on the 19th of May 1923. Sadly he passed away two years later on March 18th, 1925, at the age of 35. A notice in the letter read “MASSEY.—On March 18, at the Military Hospital, Keswick, Thomas, the dearly be-loved husband of Adeline (Dolly) Massey, aged 35 years. At rest.” Massey was then placed into a grave in AIF Cemetery (Row 7 East, Grave No. 14), West Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia, ending his honourable life.

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