Thomas Joseph ROACH

ROACH, Thomas Joseph

Service Number: 345
Enlisted: 2 January 1915, Townsville, Queensland
Last Rank: Trooper
Last Unit: 11th Light Horse Regiment
Born: Ararat, Victoria, 1875
Home Town: Ballarat, Central Highlands, Victoria
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Shearer
Died: Struck by a train, Wallace, Victoria, 6 August 1939
Cemetery: Not yet discovered
Memorials:
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World War 1 Service

2 Jan 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 345, Townsville, Queensland
2 Jun 1915: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 345, 11th Light Horse Regiment, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '3' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Borda embarkation_ship_number: A30 public_note: ''
2 Jun 1915: Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 345, 11th Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Borda, Brisbane
10 Aug 1919: Discharged AIF WW1, Trooper, 345, 11th Light Horse Regiment

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Biography contributed by John Edwards

"DEAD MAN IDENTIFIED. Storekeeper's Joke Solved Mystery 

MELBOURNE, Monday.- Jokingly marked with chalk, a hat worn by Thomas Joseph Roach (64), war pensioner, led to his identification to-day as the man found dead on the railway line near Ballarat yesterday. At the inquest to-day, George Stewart, storekeeper, said that Roach was in his store on Saturday morning. He jokingly marked Roach's hat with chalk, and sold him a pipe, tobacco and matches resembling those found near his body. The inquest was adjourned." - from the Burnie Advocate 08 Aug 1939 (nla.gov.au) 

"KILLED ON CROSSING. Inquest at Ballarat

BALLARAT, Friday.- An Inquest was held by the district coroner (Mr. A. R. Hill, P.M.) to-day into the death of Thomas Joseph Roach, aged 64 years, of Wallace, whose body was found on the railway line near the Wallace station on Sunday, August 6. It was stated that Roach, who did odd jobs in the district, was a passenger on the Ballarat-Ballan train on the evening of Saturday, August 5, and alighted from his train at Wallace. He was struck by the engine of the Melbourne-Ballarat train, which passed through Wallace about an hour later. In recording a finding that Roach met his death by being run over by the train the coroner said that the evidence did not enable him to say how the man came to be on the railway line. No blame was attachable to the train crew." - from the Melbourne Agrus 23 Sep 1939 (nla.gov.au)

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