ROACH, Thomas
| Service Numbers: | 2557A, 2582 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 3 August 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Lance Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 36th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Myalla, New South Wales, Australia, 17 March 1887 |
| Home Town: | Culcairn, Greater Hume Shire, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Railway fettler (track worker) |
| Died: | Pneumonia, Military Hospital, Fovant, Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom, 21 January 1918, aged 30 years |
| Cemetery: |
Baverstock (St. Edith) Churchyard INSCRIPTION - REST IN PEACE |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Culcairn & District Great War Roll of Honor, Culcairn Railway Department Roll of Honor, Culcairn War Memorial, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 3 Aug 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2557A, 36th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Nov 1916: | Involvement Private, 2557A, 36th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Benalla embarkation_ship_number: A24 public_note: '' | |
| 9 Nov 1916: | Embarked Private, 2557A, 36th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Benalla, Sydney | |
| 30 Aug 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 36th Infantry Battalion | |
| 1 Oct 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 2582, 36th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, GSW left thigh DoI England | |
| 21 Jan 1918: | Involvement Lance Corporal, 2582, 36th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 2582 awm_unit: 36th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Lance Corporal awm_died_date: 1918-01-21 |
Help us honour Thomas Roach's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon
He was 30 and the son of Thomas and Mary Roach; husband of Ida May Roach, of Culcairn, New South Wales.
Biography 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 – 21st January…… LCpl Thomas Roach was born at Myalla, near Cooma, New South Wales on 17th March, 1887.
A marriage was registered in the district of Temora in 1911 between Thomas Roach & Ida May Hillard. A birth was registered in the district of Lockhart, NSW in 1912 for Vera M. Roach – parents Thomas & Ida M. Roach.
Thomas Roach enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 3rd August, 1916 as a 29 year old, married, Railway Fettler from Culcairn, NSW.
Private Thomas Roach embarked from Sydney on HMAT Benalla (A24) on 9th November, 1916 with the 36th Infantry Battalion, 5th Reinforcements & disembarked at Devonport, England on 9th January, 1917.
He was posted to 9th Training Battalion at Durrington Camp, Wiltshire from Australia on 9th January, 1917 & was sent sick to Fargo Hospital on 26 January, 1917. Private Roach was discharged from Fargo Hospital on 12th February, 1917.
On 28th March, 1917 Private Roach proceeded overseas to France. He joined 36th Battalion in the Field on 1st April, 1917.
Private Roach was detached to A. P. M. (traffic control) on 26th May, 1917 & rejoined his unit in Belgium from Police Duty on 12th June, 1917.
He was sent sick to 10th Australian Field Ambulance in Belgium on 25th June, 1917 & admitted on 26th June, 1917 with a cut finger. He was discharged to duty on 4th July, 1917 & rejoined his Unit in Belgium on 6th July, 1917.
On 24th July, 1917 Private Roach was admitted to 11th Australian Field Ambulance with Influenza. He was transferred to 3rd Divisional Rest Station on 26th July, 1917 & rejoined his Unit on 30th July, 1918.
Private Thomas Roach of 36th Battalion was promoted to Lance Corporal on 21st August, 1917.
Lance Corporal Thomas Roach was Wounded in Action in Belgium on 1st October, 1917. He was admitted to 3rd Australian Field Ambulance on 1st October, 1917 with G.S.W. (gunshot wound/s) to left thigh. Lance Corporal Roach was transferred to 3rd Canadian Casualty Clearing Station on 1st October, 1917 & transferred the same day to Ambulance Train. He was admitted to 83rd General Hospital in France on 1st October, 1917. Lance Corporal Roach embarked for England on 5th October, 1917 on Hospital Ship St. Denis.
He was admitted to Whipps Cross Hospital at Leytonstone, England on 5th October, 1917. Lance Corporal Roach was discharged to furlo from 28th November, 1917 to 12th December, 1917 where he was to report to No. 3 Command Depot.
On 16th January, 1918 Lance Corporal Thomas Roach was admitted to Military Hospital at Fovant, Wiltshire seriously ill. The Hospital Admissions form recorded that Lance Corporal Roach had double pneumonia.
Lance Corporal Thomas Roach died at 3.30 p.m. on 21st January, 1918 at Military Hospital, Fovant, Wiltshire from Pneumonia.
He was buried in St. Edith’s Churchyard, Baverstock, Wiltshire, England where 28 other WW1 Australian Soldiers are located.
Deaths of 2 brothers:
Corporal Matthew Roach 494 – 25th Battalion A.I.F. died 4th August, 1916. Buried in Puchevillers British Cemetery, France.
Gunner William Roach 28176 – 5th Brigade Australian Field Artillery died 9th October, 1918 & is buried in Tincourt New British Cemetery, France.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/baverstock.html
Biography contributed by John Oakes
Thomas ROACH was born at Myalla (south of Cooma), NSW, on 17th April 1887. He joined the NSW Government Railways and Tramways on 30th October 1910 as a labourer in the Southern Division of the Railways Permanent Way Branch. On 25th May 1911 he became a fettler (track worker) and was assigned to the Lockhart to Clear Hills section of the branch line from The Rock to Oaklands. About this date he married Ida May Hillard, their marriage being registered at Temora in 1911. In 1912 they had a daughter, Vera May, whose birth was registered at Lockhart.
On 30thJuly 1912 Thomas transferred, as a fettler, to the Junee to Albury section of the Main Southern Line, and the family took up residence at Culcairn. On 1st April 1916 he was transferred back to the Southern Division. On 1st July 1916 he was given leave to join the Expeditionary Forces.
He joined the AIF on 3rd August 1916 (after a first attempt on 4th July 1916). He was posted to the 5th Reinforcements to the 36th Infantry Battalion with the rank of Private (Service Number 2582). He nominated his wife as his next of kin.
He embarked for England aboard HMAT A24 ‘Benalla’ on 9th November 1916 and disembarked at Devonport, England, on 9th January 1917. On arrival he was sent to the 9th Training Battalion at Durrington where he stayed until 28th March 1917. For the period from 26th January 1917 to 9th February 1917 he was actually in hospital at Fargo with an unspecified illness. He left England for France on 28th March 1917. After three days at the 3rd Australian Division Base Depot at Etaples he was taken on strength of the 36th Infantry Battalion on 1st April 1917.
On 26th May 1917, Thomas was detached to join the Australian Military Police for traffic control duties. He returned to his duty with the Battalion, which had moved to Belgium, on 12 thJune 1917. This was just after the battle of Messines. On 25th June 1917 he was sent to the 10th Australian Field Ambulance with a cut finger, which kept him off duty until he re-joined his unit on 6th July 1917. On 24th July 1917 he reported sick again, this time with Influenza. He re-joined his unit on 30th July 1917.
On 21st August 1917, Thomas was promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal. On 1st October 1917 he was wounded in action in Belgium, receiving a gunshot wound to the left thigh. As a result, he was evacuated to England where he was admitted to Whipps Cross Hospital at Leytonstone in London. He had recovered sufficiently to be discharged to furlough from 28th November 1917 to 12th December 1917 when he reported to No. 3 Australian Command Depot. On 16th January 1918 he was admitted to the Military Hospital at Fovant, seriously ill with double pneumonia. He died of the effects of this disease on 21st January 1918.
Thomas’s grave is in St Edith’s Churchyard, Baverstock, Wiltshire, England. His place of association is Culcairn, NSW.
After he died his widow was granted a pension of £2 per fortnight and his daughter was granted a pension of £1 per fortnight, both with effect from 24th March 1918.
- based on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll and notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board.
Biography contributed by John Oakes
Thomas ROACH was born at Myalla (south of Cooma), NSW, on 17th April 1887. He joined the NSW Government Railways and Tramways on 30th October 1910 as a labourer in the Southern Division of the Railways Permanent Way Branch. On 25th May 1911 he became a fettler (track worker) and was assigned to the Lockhart to Clear Hills section of the branch line from The Rock to Oaklands. About this date he married Ida May Hillard, their marriage being registered at Temora in 1911. In 1912 they had a daughter, Vera May, whose birth was registered at Lockhart.
On 30thJuly 1912 Thomas transferred, as a fettler, to the Junee to Albury section of the Main Southern Line, and the family took up residence at Culcairn. On 1st April 1916 he was transferred back to the Southern Division. On 1st July 1916 he was given leave to join the Expeditionary Forces.
He joined the AIF on 3rd August 1916 (after a first attempt on 4th July 1916). He was posted to the 5th Reinforcements to the 36th Infantry Battalion with the rank of Private (Service Number 2582). He nominated his wife as his next of kin.
He embarked for England aboard HMAT A24 ‘Benalla’ on 9th November 1916 and disembarked at Devonport, England, on 9th January 1917. On arrival he was sent to the 9th Training Battalion at Durrington where he stayed until 28th March 1917. For the period from 26th January 1917 to 9th February 1917 he was actually in hospital at Fargo with an unspecified illness. He left England for France on 28th March 1917. After three days at the 3rd Australian Division Base Depot at Etaples he was taken on strength of the 36th Infantry Battalion on 1st April 1917.
On 26th May 1917, Thomas was detached to join the Australian Military Police for traffic control duties. He returned to his duty with the Battalion, which had moved to Belgium, on 12 thJune 1917. This was just after the battle of Messines. On 25th June 1917 he was sent to the 10th Australian Field Ambulance with a cut finger, which kept him off duty until he re-joined his unit on 6th July 1917. On 24th July 1917 he reported sick again, this time with Influenza. He re-joined his unit on 30th July 1917.
On 21st August 1917, Thomas was promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal. On 1st October 1917 he was wounded in action in Belgium, receiving a gunshot wound to the left thigh. As a result, he was evacuated to England where he was admitted to Whipps Cross Hospital at Leytonstone in London. He had recovered sufficiently to be discharged to furlough from 28th November 1917 to 12th December 1917 when he reported to No. 3 Australian Command Depot. On 16th January 1918 he was admitted to the Military Hospital at Fovant, seriously ill with double pneumonia. He died of the effects of this disease on 21st January 1918.
Thomas’s grave is in St Edith’s Churchyard, Baverstock, Wiltshire, England. His place of association is Culcairn, NSW.
After he died his widow was granted a pension of £2 per fortnight and his daughter was granted a pension of £1 per fortnight, both with effect from 24th March 1918.
- based on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll and notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board.
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