COLLINS, Thomas Joseph
| Service Number: | 58 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 25 March 1916, Bendigo, Victoria |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 38th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Yakandandah, Victoria, Australia, 1897 |
| Home Town: | White Hills, Bendigo, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Marist Brothers College, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Armentieres, France, 13 January 1917 |
| Cemetery: |
Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery, Armentieres Plot IV, Row C, Grave No. 44, Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery, Armentieres, Lille, Nord Pas de Calais, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Bendigo Great War Roll of Honor, Bendigo Marist Brothers College Great War Honour Roll, Bendigo White Hills Arch of Triumph, Yackandandah State School WWI Roll of Honor |
World War 1 Service
| 25 Mar 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 58, Bendigo, Victoria | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Jun 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 58, 38th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '18' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Runic embarkation_ship_number: A54 public_note: '' | |
| 20 Jun 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 58, 38th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Runic, Melbourne | |
| 13 Jan 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 58, 38th Infantry Battalion |
Thomas Joseph Collins
Thomas was born in Yakandandah, near the town of Beechworth in North Eastern Victoria.
He was 18 years old when he enlisted in Bendigo on March 25, 1916. His parents John and Mary Collins had shifted to 163 White Hills road, White Hills a small gold mining hamlet a few miles north of Bendigo. (White Hills Rd no longer exists, however, it would now be known as Napier st.) He was single and his listed occupation was a labourer.
He is enlisted in the 38th Battalion (the Bendigo Battalion)
He embarked on HMAT 54 Runic from Port Melbourne on June 20, 1916 after just 3 months training. Two months later he and the 38th are in Plymouth, England.His casualty form states he is a stretcher bearer.
Three months later on November 21, 1916 Thomas and his battalion leave Southhampton for France and the horrors of the western front. The 38th battalion form part of the AIF third division.
His record states he was killed in Action on January 13, 1917 not even two months after landing in France.
The record states he is re-buried by W. Howes of the 40th battalion on the 24th May, 1917 at the CITE BONJEAN MILITARY CEMETERY near ARMENTIERRS on the French, Belgium border.
Thomas Joseph Collins name is immortalised on the White Hills Botanic Gardens Memorial Arch.
Submitted 16 June 2017 by Jack Coyne
Biography contributed by Jack Coyne
Thomas was born in Yakandandah, near the town of Beechworth in North Eastern Victoria.
He was 18 years old when he enlisted in Bendigo on March 25, 1916. His parents John and Mary Collins had shifted to 163 White Hills road, White Hills a small gold mining hamlet a few miles north of Bendigo. (White Hills Rd no longer exists, however, it would now be known as Napier st.) He was single and his listed occupation was a labourer.
He enlisted into the 38th Battalion (the Bendigo Battalion)
He embarked on HMAT Runic from Port Melbourne on June 20, 1916 after just 3 months training. Two months later he and the 38th were in Plymouth, England. His casualty form states he was a stretcher bearer.
Three months later on November 21, 1916 Thomas and his battalion leave Southhampton for France and the horrors of the western front. The 38th Battalion formed part of the AIF third division.
His record states he was killed in Action on January 13, 1917, not even two months after landing in France.
The record states he is re-buried by W. Howes of the 40th battalion on the 24th May, 1917 at the CITE BONJEAN MILITARY CEMETERY near ARMENTIERRS on the French, Belgium border.
Thomas Joseph Collins' name is immortalised on the White Hills Botanic Gardens Memorial Arch
Biography contributed by Robert Wight
Pte Collins was acting as a stretcher bearer for his Company at the time of his death.
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Family: (Uncle) 4348 Sergeant Francis COLLINS, 14th Bn, died of wounds whilst a prisoner of war, 12 April 1917.
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