PROCTER, Thomas Easton
| Service Number: | 4878 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 22 November 1915, 15th Reinforcements |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 45th Infantry Battalion (WW1) |
| Born: | Broughty Ferry, near Dundee, Angus, Scotland., April 1892 |
| Home Town: | Casula, Liverpool, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Grove Academy Broughton Ferry Scotland |
| Occupation: | Chauffeur |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Dernancourt, France, 30 March 1918 |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Commemorated on the Villers-Bretonneux AIF Memorial to the Missing of France, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial (Australian National Memorial - France) |
World War 1 Service
| 22 Nov 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4878, 13th Infantry Battalion, 15th Reinforcements | |
|---|---|---|
| 8 Mar 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 4878, 13th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '11' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Star of England embarkation_ship_number: A15 public_note: '' | |
| 20 May 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 45th Infantry Battalion (WW1), Doubling of the AIF took place by splitting the original 16 Battalions of the AIF, in Egypt after Gallipoli and before embarking for France | |
| 23 Jul 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 4878, 45th Infantry Battalion (WW1), Battle for Pozières | |
| 19 Aug 1916: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 4878, 45th Infantry Battalion (WW1), Mouquet Farm | |
| 19 Oct 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 4878, 45th Infantry Battalion (WW1), Third Ypres, RTU ex Hospital UK | |
| 30 Mar 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 4878, 45th Infantry Battalion (WW1), German Spring Offensive 1918, The 45th Battalion was in the 13th Brigade 4th Division and were positioned near Dernancourt just south west of Albert. The 4th Division (less the 4th Brigade further north at Hebuterne who were also fighting for their lives) repulsed several major German attacks between 28 March and 5 April |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon
Thomas Eaton PROCTER (1892-1918)
Thomas Eaton PROCTER was born in April 1892 in Broughton Ferry near Dundee in Scotland.
His mother was Mrs Margaret Procter, Myrtle Cottage, Broughty Ferry.
Thomas was a former pupil of Grove Academy, Broughty Ferry and is remembered on the school’s war memorial.
He emigrated to Australia aged 20 where he worked as a chaufer (driver)
He enlisted (from Nominal Roll ) 13 November 1915 at Casula near the Ingleburn Camp south west of Sydney NSW, aged '27 years 7 months'. Date of birth was not recorded on WW1 enlistment forms.
He was allocated to the 13th Battalion in the 4th Brigade which at that time had been detached to the ANZAC Division on Gallipoli. He embarked in the 15th Reinforcement Draft bound for Egypt on 8th March 1916.
Shortly after arrival in Egypt, the AIF went through the process called 'Doubling the AIF' whereby the first 16 Battalions were split, moving an experienced half of Officers NCO and soldiers to a so-called 'pup' Battalion. The old and new battalions were then reinforced with troops arriving from Australia. Thus Thomas Procter found himself assigned to the 45th Battalion in the 13th Brigade. As it happened the 4th Brigade from whence he had come, formed the nucleus of the 4th Division upsetting to otherwise sequential and logical construct of the AIF. The 12th and 13th Brigades joined it to make up the balance of the Division.
The Division embarked for France, first seeing action in the Armentieres sector before moving to the SOmme for the 'big poush' in late July 1916.
Thomas Procter was wounded at Mouquet farm in mid August and a series of illnesses followed which had him in the UK recuperating until late 1917 when he rejoined the Battalion near Ypres in Belgium.
In March 1918 the Germans mounted a massive assault through the British 5th Army on the Somme, in an attempt to force terms on the Allies before the arrival of the Americans lin large numbers. The AIF was rushed south and split up to plug gaps in the line. The 4th Division was allocated to Hebuterne (4th Brigade ) and opposite the village of Dernancourt, where they fight desperate defensive action between 28 March and 5 April 1918. They held the line but suffered fearful casualties. Thomas Procter was one of them, killed on 30 March near Dernancourt. Like many he has no known grave and is commemorated on the AIF Memorial at Villers Bretonneux.
Dundee Courier 18th April 1918.
Mrs Wm Procter, Myrtle Cottage, Broughty Ferry, was yesterday officially informed that her eldest son, Pte. Thomas E. Procter, Australians, was killed in action on 30th March. He emigrated to Australia seven years ago, and had been two years in France.
He appears to be commemorated on the St Stephen's and West Church, Broughty Ferry West U.F. Church War Memorial 1914-1918 where he is shown as Thomas E. Procter. Prior to emigrating to Australia he had served for three years in the Territorial Royal Garrison Artillery.
compiled by Steve Larkins and Geoffrey Gillon Nov 2020
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