Edgar Allan THORNELL

THORNELL, Edgar Allan

Service Number: 5917
Enlisted: 22 March 1916, Melbourne, Victoria
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 22nd Infantry Battalion
Born: Somerville, Victoria, Australia, March 1896
Home Town: Somerville, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria
Schooling: Melbourne High School, Victoria, Australia
Occupation: School Teacher
Died: Tuberculosis, Weymouth, England, United Kingdom, 9 August 1918
Cemetery: Melcombe Regis Cemetery, Dorset, England
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Hastings Somerville District Roll of Honour, Parkville Old State College Memorial Windows
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World War 1 Service

22 Mar 1916: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 5917, Melbourne, Victoria
2 Oct 1916: Involvement Private, 5917, 22nd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '14' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Nestor embarkation_ship_number: A71 public_note: ''
2 Oct 1916: Embarked Private, 5917, 22nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Nestor, Melbourne

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Biography contributed by John Edwards

"5917 Private (Pte) Edgar Allen Thornell, 22nd Battalion of Somerville, Victoria. A school teacher prior to enlisting, he embarked from Melbourne aboard HMAT Nestor (A71) on 2 October 1916. On 9 August 1918, he died in the Monte Video Camp Hospital, Weymouth, Dorset, United Kingdom from Pulmonary Tuberculosis, aged 22. Pte Thornell is buried in the Melcombe Regis Cemetery, United Kingdom." - SOURCE (www.awm.gov.au)

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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 – 9th August…… Edgar Allan Thornell was born at Somerville, Victoria in 1896.

He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 22nd March, 1916 as a 20 year old, single, State School Teacher from Somerville, Victoria.

Private Edgar Allan Thornell, Service number 5917, embarked from Melbourne, Victoria on HMAT Nestor (A71) on 2nd October, 1916 with the 6th Infantry Brigade, 22nd Infantry Battalion, 16th Reinforcements & disembarked at Plymouth, England on 16th November, 1916.

Reinforcements were only given basic training in Australia. Training was completed in training units in England. Some of these were located in the Salisbury Plain & surrounding areas in the county of Wiltshire.

On 30th November, 1916 Private Thornell was admitted to Fovant Military Hospital, Wiltshire with Influenza. He was discharged on 6th December, 1916.

He proceeded overseas to France via Folkestone on 4th February, 1917 per S.S. Arundel from 6th Training Battalion. He was marched in to 2nd A.D.B.D. (Australian Divisional Base Depot) at Etaples, France on 4th February, 1917 & marched out to his Unit on 8th February, 1917. Private Thornell was taken on strength of 22nd Battalion in France on 23rd March, 1917.

Private Thornell was admitted to 6th Australian Field Ambulance on 6th September, 1917 with Appendicitis and transferred & admitted to 58th General Hospital at St. Omer on the same day. Private Thornell was marked for transfer to England on 17th September, 1917 & was transferred to Hospital Ship where he embarked for England on 18th September, 1917.

On 18th September, 1917 Private Thornell was admitted to Norfolk War Hospital, Thorpe, Norwich, England with Appendicitis. He was transferred to 3rd Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford on 26th October, 1917 then discharged for furlo from 29th October, 1917 & was to report to Depot at Weymouth on 12th November, 1917.

He was marched in to No. 2 Command Depot at Weymouth, Dorset on 12th November, 1917 from furlo then transferred to No. 4 Command Depot at Hurdcott, Wiltshire on 24th November, 1917.

Private Thornell was sent sick to Military Hospital at Fovant on 3rd February, 1918 from No. 4 Command Depot, Hurdcott – cause P.U.O. (Pyrexia (fever) of unknown origin) & was admitted to Fovant Military Hospital the same day – cause N.Y.D. (not yet determined). He was discharged to training Depot on 9th March, 1918. The Hospital Admissions form reported he had Trench Fever.

He was marched in to No. 4 Command Depot at Hurdcott, Wiltshire on 9th March, 1918 from Hospital.
On 14th May, 1918 Private Thornell tested positive to a T.B. sputum test at No. 4 Command Depot.
A Medical Report was completed on Private Edgar Allan Thornell on 17th May, 1918 at No. 4 Command Depot, Hurdcott, Wiltshire. His disability was listed as Pulmonary Fibrosis (Tubercular) which has originated in England in December, 1917. “Was subject to colds in England 1916-17 winter cough got quite well last summer & remained so while he was in France. Was evacuated in Sept 1917 with appendicitis & successfully operated on developed a cold in England in December 1917 which he never got rid of & cough became same & continuous…. & noticed he sweated at nights in February.” The Medical Officer in charge of the case recommended that Private Thornell be classified as C3 – discharged as permanently unfit. The Medical Board agreed that Private Edgar Allan Thornell be discharged as permanently unfit for General Service & unfit for Home service.

He transferred to No. 2 Command Depot on 18th May, 1918 & was marched in to No. 2 Command Depot at Weymouth, Dorset on the same day from No. 4 Command Depot at Hurdcott.

Mr A. Thornell, Somerville, Victoria, father of Private Edgar Allan Thornell, was advised on 29th July, 1918 by Base Records that Private E. A. Thornell had been admitted to Camp Hospital, Weymouth, England on 18th May, 1918 suffering from tuberculosis & was seriously ill as at 4th July, 1918.

Mr A. Thornell, was advised on 6th August, 1918 by Base Records that Private E. A. Thornell was reported to be “suffering from pulmonary Laryngal abdomicial Tuberculosis, hectic virulent type” & was dangerously ill as at 20th July, 1918.

Private Edgar Allan Thornell died at 5.45 am on 9th August, 1918 at Hut 31A, Monte Video Camp Hospital, Weymouth, Dorset, England from Pulmonary Tuberculosis, Peritonitis & Exhaustion.

He was buried in Melcombe Regis Cemetery, Weymouth, Dorset, England where 82 other WW1 Australian War Graves are located.

(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/t-w.html

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