TOLEMAN, Kenneth
| Service Number: | 2218 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 15 January 1915, Hamilton, Victoria, Australia. |
| Last Rank: | Second Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 46th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Mortlake, Victoria, Australia, 4 November 1892 |
| Home Town: | Mortlake, Moyne, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Mortlake, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Electrician |
| Died: | Died of wounds, Belgium, 12 October 1916, aged 23 years |
| Cemetery: |
Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery |
| Memorials: | Hamilton Fire Brigade Pictorial Honour Roll, Hamilton War Memorial, Hamilton Wesleyan Methodist Church Roll of Honor, Shire of Mortlake War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 15 Jan 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 14th Infantry Battalion, Hamilton, Victoria, Australia. | |
|---|---|---|
| 17 Jun 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2218, 14th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '11' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Wandilla embarkation_ship_number: A62 public_note: '' | |
| 17 Jun 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 2218, 14th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Wandilla, Melbourne | |
| 12 Oct 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 2218, 46th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: awm_unit: 46th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Second Lieutenant awm_died_date: 1916-10-12 |
Kenneth Toleman - 2nd Cousin once removed from John J Timms
Special thanks to Toleman family members from the line of William TOLEMAN/Sarah McKENZIE and the Hamilton History Centre Inc. for this family information.
Private Kenneth TOLEMAN was born at Mortlake, Victoria in November 1892, the son of Jessie Agnes TOLEMAN. Ken was raised by his grandmother, Sarah TOLEMAN (nee McKENZIE) at Mortlake.
Standing 5 feet 7 inches tall, Ken weighed 137lbs (62kgs) and had a fair complexion, yellowish eyes and light brown hair.
The 22 year old electrician from Mortlake enlisted at Hamilton on 15 January 1915 and embarked from Melbourne on 17 June 1915 aboard the HMAT Wandilla as part of reinforcements for the 14th Infantry Battalion, proceeding immediately to Gallipoli. The 14th Battalion was involved in establishing and defending the ANZAC front line. In August the Battalion suffered heavy casualties when it undertook the unsuccessful attack on Hill 60. They served at ANZAC until the withdrawal in December 1915.
Ken returned to Egypt with the 14th and while there the battalion was split and Ken, along with other experienced soldiers combined to create the 46th Battalion. On 28 February 1916 Ken was promoted to Corporal. Another promotion came on 14 March 1916, this time to Sergeant.
The 46th Battalion arrived in France on 8 June 1916 as part of the 12th Brigade and participated in a major battle at Pozieres. The 46th took part in two heavily contested stints in the trenches of Pozieres. On 2 August 1916 Ken was commissioned to 2nd Lieutenant of the 46th Battalion which then swapped between trench duty, training and resting behind the lines.
Aged just 23 years, 2nd Lieutenant Kenneth TOLEMAN was wounded in France on 12 October 1916 when a shell wound perforated his abdomen. He died the same day and is interred in the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery in Belgium.
Submitted 15 February 2024 by John Timms
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