Thomas David MERTON DCM

Thomas David MERTON DCM Update Details

If you confirm that you want to proceed with the update, this record will be locked for editing by all other users until you have finished. You will have 7 days to complete your changes before they will be automatically submitted.

Do you want to proceed?

MERTON, Thomas David

Service Number:	5136
Enlisted:	27 January 1916, 3mths Militia
Last Rank:	Private
Last Unit:	33rd Infantry Battalion
Born:	Braidwood, New South Wales, Australia, December 1894
Home Town:	Newtown (NSW), Inner West, New South Wales
Schooling:	Not yet discovered
Occupation:	Pipe fitters assistant
Died:	SW left side of chest and buttocks, 3rd Aust Casualty Clearing Station, Belgium, 17 October 1917
Cemetery:	Nine Elms British Cemetery Nine Elms British Cemetery (Plot VI, Row C, Grave No. 5), Poperinghe, Belgium, Nine Elms British Cemetery, Poperinghe, Flanders, Belgium
Memorials:	Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour

World War 1 Service

27 Jan 1916:	Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 5136, 17th Infantry Battalion, 3mths Militia
5 Jun 1916:	Involvement Private, 5136, 17th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '12' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Kyarra embarkation_ship_number: A55 public_note: ''
5 Jun 1916:	Embarked Private, 5136, 17th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Kyarra, Sydney
30 Sep 1916:	Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 33rd Infantry Battalion
20 Aug 1917:	Honoured Distinguished Conduct Medal, The Outpost Villages - German Withdrawal to Hindenburg Line, 23rd Febuary, 1917. For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He advanced under cover of a fog and took up a position in "No Man's Land" from which he shot five of the enemy. He has at all times displayed great courage and initiative.' Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 133
16 Oct 1917:	Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 5136, 33rd Infantry Battalion, 1st Passchendaele, SW left side of chest and buttocks. DoW 3rd Australian Casualty Clearing Station.
17 Oct 1917:	Involvement Private, 5136, 33rd Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 5136 awm_unit: 33rd Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1917-10-17

Help us honour Thomas David Merton's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Evan Evans

Pte Thomas David MERTON appears to have been a sniper. This is supported by the Red Cross testimony of Pte CM McCarthy #827 33rd Bn. It was with his sniping duties near the Roulers-Ypres railway that he was hit by a shell fragments.

Virtual
War Memorial
Australia