THOMSON, Albert John
| Service Number: | 198 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 17 February 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 26th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Irvinebank, Queensland, Australia, 12 November 1896 |
| Home Town: | Atherton, Tablelands, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Broncho pneumonia, 1st Australian General Hospital, Sutton Veny, England, United Kingdom, 15 February 1919, aged 22 years |
| Cemetery: |
Sutton Veny (St. John) Churchyard, Wiltshire, England Plot 51, Row D, Grave No. 25 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 17 Feb 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 198, 26th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 24 May 1915: | Involvement Private, 198, 26th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Ascanius embarkation_ship_number: A11 public_note: '' | |
| 24 May 1915: | Embarked Private, 198, 26th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ascanius, Brisbane | |
| 6 Jul 1916: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 198, 26th Infantry Battalion, GSW to right arm and thigh | |
| 10 Apr 1918: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 198, 26th Infantry Battalion, German Spring Offensive 1918, GSW to right or left leg - severe |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Evan Evans
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland
Died on this date – 15th February.... Private Albert John Thomson was born at Irvinebank, Queensland in 1896. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 17th February, 1915 as an 18 year old Labourer from Atherton, Queensland.
Private Thomson was written up for the Crime of Gambling while at Enoggera Camp on 21st April, 1915. Five witnesses were listed & the charge was admonished on 22nd April, 1915.
Private Albert John Thomson embarked from Brisbane on HMAT Ascanius (A11) on 24th May, 1915 with the 7th Infantry Brigade, 26th Infantry Battalion, “A” Company & disembarked at Egypt (date not recorded).
Private Thomson proceeded to join the B.E.F (British Expeditionary Force) at Alexandria on 15th March, 1916 & disembarked at Marseilles, France on 21st March, 1916.
Private Thomson was wounded in action on 6th July, 1916 in Belgium & taken to 73rd Field Ambulance with a bullet wound to arm and leg. He was invalided to England on Hospital Ship Cambria then admitted to Harefield Hospital in Middlesex, England on 24th July, 1916 with gunshot wounds to right thigh & right arm. He was discharged on 7th August, 1916 & posted to No. 1 Command Depot at Perham, Wiltshire on 7th August, 1916.
Private Thomson was reported for “Overstaying leave from 2400 on 23.10.16 until reporting at 9.45 on 6.11.16.” He was awarded 14 days’ detention by Commanding Officer of 7th Training Battalion on 7th November, 1916 & forfeited a total of 28 days’ pay.
Private Thomson returned to France on 14th December, 1916. He was admitted to Hospital on 20th December, 1916 with suspected Mumps & discharged on 9th January, 1917. Private Thomson rejoined his Battalion on 5th February, 1917.
Private Thomson was sent to Divisional Bombing School on 26th June, 1917 & rejoined his Battalion on 1st July, 1917.
Private Thomson was Absent without leave from 7.45 am on 4th August, 1917 to 9 pm on 4th August, 1917. He was awarded 7 days Field Punishment No. 2 & forfeited a total of 8 days’ pay.
Private Thomson proceeded on English Leave from Belgium on 11th January, 1918 & rejoined his Battalion on 29th January, 1918.
Private Thomson was detached to Divisional Bombing School on 10th March, 1918 & rejoined his Battalion on 23rd March, 1918.
Private Thomson was sent sick to Hospital on 24th March, 1918 with Scabies & discharged to duty on 29th March, 1918. He rejoined his Battalion on 31st March, 1918.
Private Thomson was wounded in action (2nd occasion) in France on 10th April, 1918 with GSW to right leg. He was invalided to England & admitted to 5th Southern General Hospital at Portsmouth, England on 16th April, 1918 with a machine gun bullet to right calf (severe). Private Thomson was transferred to 3rd Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford on 12th July, 1918. He was on furlo from 17th to 31st July, 1918 & was then to report to No. 4 Command Depot.
Private Thomson was reported as Absent without Leave by Australian Headquarters, London on 31st July, 1918. He was declared an illegal absentee on 27th August, 1918 by a Court of Inquiry at London. Private Thomson was apprehended on 2nd October, 1918.
A Court Martial was held at Warwick Square on 7th October, 1918 for Trial of 198 Pte A. J. Thomson. The charges were: “(1) London, AWL from 31.7.18 until apprehended by the Military Authorities in London 2.10.18. (2) London, Conduct to the prejudice of good order & Military discipline in that he made use of a document purporting to be a genuine pass, in which the dates had been improperly altered.” Pleading – Guilty to both charges. Finding – Guilty of both charges. Sentence – 6 months Detention. Total forfeiture of 250 days’ pay.
Private Thomson was admitted to 1st Australian Dermatological Hospital at Bulford, Wiltshire on 9th October, 1918 with VD & discharged to Lewes Detention Barracks on 17th October, 1918. (HM Prison Lewes was signed over to A.I.F. which then raised the A.I.F. Detention Barracks at the site in the town of Lewes, near Brighton on the Sussex coast).
Private Thomson was discharged from Lewes Detention Barracks on 6th January, 1919 due to a remission of his sentence. His Sentence was reduced from 6 months to 89 days. Private Thomson was marched in to Overseas Training Brigade at Longbridge Deverill, Wiltshire on 6th January, 1919.
Private Albert John Thomson died at 10.35 pm on 15th February, 1919 at the 1st Australian General Hospital, Sutton Veny of broncho pneumonia (Influenza). He was buried in St. John the Evangelist Churchyard at Sutton Veny, Wiltshire, England where 140 other WW1 Australian Soldiers & 2 Australian Nurses are buried.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/t--y.html
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