Thomas SELLAR

SELLAR, Thomas

Service Number: 741
Enlisted: 1 January 1916
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 43 Infantry Battalion AMF
Born: Goodwood, South Australia, 29 January 1892
Home Town: Goodwood, Unley, South Australia
Schooling: Public School, Goodwood, South Australia
Occupation: Bricklayer
Died: Died of wounds, France, 1 March 1917, aged 25 years
Cemetery: Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery, Armentieres
Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery, Armentieres, Lille, Nord Pas de Calais, France
Memorials: Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Goodwood Public School WW1 Roll of Honor, Goodwood St George Anglican Church Memorial Tower, Unley Arch of Remembrance, Unley Town Hall WW1 Honour Board
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World War 1 Service

1 Jan 1916: Enlisted
9 Jun 1916: Involvement Private, 741, 43rd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '18' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Afric embarkation_ship_number: A19 public_note: ''
9 Jun 1916: Embarked Private, 741, 43rd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Afric, Adelaide
9 Jun 1919: Involvement 43 Infantry Battalion AMF

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Biography

Thomas Sellar was born on the 29th of January 1892 in Goodwood, South Australia. Before leaving with the army to fight in war, he enlisted into the army to serve in World War One. He wasn’t stationed until the 9th of June 1916 on the HMAT Afric A19.

 

He wasn’t married and didn’t have any children. Thomas lived at 69 Devon St Goodwood, South Australia. He attended a public school in his hometown.

 

When Thomas Sellar enlisted he was checked by the doctor to make sure he was capable to go into war. At the time Thomas weighed 136 pounds, he was 5 for tall, chest measurement of 35-39 inches, with dark hair and brown eye.

 

While he was in war his job was the dispatch rider. This is someone who delivers messages to people.

 

While he was in training camp, he left without permission two times. The second time he missed the 2pm parade and he was rude to his officer. His punishment for this was to lose seven days of pay. Training camp was located in England. She he completed training, England and fought in France.

 

On the 1st of March 1917, his left leg was blown off and due to the severity of this he passed away. He died in the 9th Australian Field Ambulance medical dressing station in France.

 

After his death, a letter was sent to his parents saying that he was injured but the wounds were not serious. Another letter was sent out on a later date stying that he had died. There was also a copy of where his gravesite is located on the 29th of March 1020.

 

When in war he fought in the 43rd Battalion, D company. He received 3 medals- the Star medal, British War medal and The Victory Medal.

 

The Anzac is a legend that suggest that the Australian and New Zealand soldiers has the same characteristics. This also representation of how the soldiers think, speak and write their war experience. Anzacs came to show the quality in which many Australians have seen. The qualities are endurance, courage, ingenuity, good humour and mateship.

 

The first day that showed the Anzac Spirit was on t25th April 1916, this is now known as Anzac Day. It was located in Sydney at the Westminster abbey. There were between 60,000 and 100,000 people at the Sydney Service.

 

The legend of the Anzac Spirit cam on the 25th of April 1915, and was repeated eight months later when fighting on Gallipoli. There wasn’t any military but the Australians showed many of the Anzac Spirit features. Many saw the Anzac Spirit has having mutual support and equality.

 

Australians still say that the Anzac Spirit was times of conflict, hardship and danger

 

In 1995 the Anzac day marches were huge and were being conducted in all the main cities, while the smaller places had their own observances. All states have Anzac Day as a public holiday showing remembrance tot hose who fought in World War One and wars after this.

 

In 1990, some of the war men who were in Gallipoli veterans flew back to Turkey for the 75th anniversary of the landing, with the Prime Minister of the time.

 

I believe that Thomas Sellar would have shown many of these qualities as he has his life for his home town. None of his diary entries were saved although many of his belongings went to his parents and siblings. As all his diaries entries were destroyed – we cannot see what he went through at war or how he felt.

 

 

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