THOMAS, James Lewis
| Service Number: | 2936 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1) |
| Born: | St. Dogmaels, Cardiganshire, Wales., date not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Perth, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Died: | Killed In Action-Poziere, Attacking The German Positions Near The Windmill , Pozieres, France., 6 August 1916, age not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 5 Oct 1915: | Involvement Private, 2936, 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1), --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '12' embarkation_place: Fremantle embarkation_ship: HMAT Hororata embarkation_ship_number: A20 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Oct 1915: | Embarked Private, 2936, 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1), HMAT Hororata, Fremantle |
Help us honour James Lewis Thomas's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon
James was born at St. Dogmaels, Cardiganshire,the son of Lewis and Elizabeth Thomas, later of Brynteg, Henllan. He had emigrated to Australia along with his brother David prior to the war, and enlisted there at Blackboy Hill into the Australian Imperial Force. James was posted to the 48th Battalion, AIF, which was in France attached to the 12th Australian Brigade, 4th Australian Division. On 5 October 1915 James embarked at Fremantle aboard the HMAT Hororata, and arrived at Ismailia on 8 January 1916. On 9 June 1916 the 48th Battalion landed at Marseilles, and moved to Bailleul. The Division moved to the Somme at the end of July 1916, and took up positions in Sausage Valley, while the 2nd Australian Division was fighting at Pozieres, and got ready to move into the line to replace them. James was killed just days after, when his battalion moved through the battered ruins of Pozieres, to attack the German positions near the Windmill on 6 August 1916. He was 33 years old, and is commemorated on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, France. His brother David was killed at Ypres the following year.
The brothers are honoured back in Wales on the Sarnau War Memorial.
Sarnau lies astride the A487 road from Cardigan to Aberystwyth, about ten miles east-north-east of Cardigan. The men of the area who fell during both World Wars are commemorated on several war memorials which are housed inside the Memorial Hall. These memorials commemorate the seventeen men of the village who fell during the Great War; a scroll commemorating the men and women who served and survived; and a memorial for the ten men who fell during World War Two. Another plaque inside the hall was removed from Glynarthen School after its closure, and commemorates the nine former pupils who fell during the Great War.
The photographs of the memorials are by Raymond Jones.
Biography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon
James is also commemorated on the St. Florence War Memorial as well as at Sarnau, but not on the St. Dogmaels War Memorial.
St. Florence is a peaceful village, situated three miles inland from Tenby on the road towards Carew Castle. The village is named after Saint Florencius, and has an interesting 13th Century Church, dedicated to him. The War Memorial is sited within the churchyard, and commemorates the men of the village who died in both world wars.
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