GORDON, Thomas Fowler
| Service Number: | 1363 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 30 October 1914, Liverpool, New South Wales |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 56th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Elie, Fifeshire, Scotland, 29 December 1887 |
| Home Town: | Willoughby, Willoughby, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Elie Public School, Fifeshire, Scotland |
| Occupation: | Grocer |
| Died: | Died of wounds, France, 30 November 1917, aged 29 years |
| Cemetery: |
Trois Arbres Cemetery, Steenwerck, Nord Pas de Calais Plot II, Row B, Grave No. 28 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 30 Oct 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1363, Liverpool, New South Wales | |
|---|---|---|
| 11 Feb 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 1363, 3rd Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Seang Bee embarkation_ship_number: A48 public_note: '' | |
| 11 Feb 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 1363, 3rd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Seang Bee, Sydney | |
| 25 Apr 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 1363, 3rd Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli | |
| 13 Feb 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 56th Infantry Battalion | |
| 30 Aug 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 56th Infantry Battalion | |
| 21 Nov 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 56th Infantry Battalion, GSW (chest) | |
| 30 Nov 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 56th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: awm_unit: 56th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Lieutenant awm_died_date: 1917-11-30 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon
He was 29 and the son of Frank H. and Christina Fowler Gordon, of 2, Loft Cottages, Elie, Fife, Scotland.
Age on arrival in Australia 23
Age at embarkation 27
Next of kin-Mother, Mrs Christina Fowler Gordon, Toft Cottage, Elie, Fifeshire, Scotland
Enlistment date 30 October 1914
Place of enlistment Liverpool, New South Wales
Rank on enlistment Private
3rd Battalion, 2nd Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number 23/20/2
Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A48 Seang Bee on 11 February 1915
Rank from Nominal Roll Lieutenant.
War service: Egypt, Gallipoli, Western Front
Embarked Alexandria to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force (Gallipoli Campaign), 5 April 1915.
Transferred to 4th Bn, Anzac, 18 December 1915.
Transferred to 56th Bn, Tel el Kebir, 19 February 1916.
Appointed Lance Corporal, 19 February 1916.
Promoted Temporary Corporal, 13 March 1916.
Promoted Corporal, Ferry Post, 13 March 1916.
Detached to School of Instruction, 1 April 1916; re-joined Bn, 23 April 1916.
Promoted Temporary Sergeant, 12 May 1916.
Promoted Sergeant, 26 May 1916.
Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 19 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 29 June 1916.
Awarded Military Medal, 9 August 1916.
Appointed 2nd Lt, 30 August 1916.
Detached to 2nd Army School of Instruction, 10 September 1916; rejoined Bn, 8 October 1916.
On leave to England, 22 November 1916; re-joined Bn from leave, 7 December 1916.
Promoted Lieutenant 9 February 1917.
Detached to Corps Infantry School, 13 May 1917; rejoined Bn, 22 June 1917.
On leave to England, 10 July 1917; re-joined Bn, 23 July 1917.
Proceeded as Advance Billeting Party, 25 July 1917; re-joined Bn, 30 July 1917.
Wounded in action, 24 November 1917 (shrapnel wound, penetrating left lung), and admitted to 8th Field Ambulance, and transferred to 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station.
Sources
NAA: B2455, GORDON Thomas Fowler
Military Medal-Recommendation date: 3 August 1916
'At PETILLON on the night of 19th July, 1916, Sergeant GORDON whilst engaged in constructing the communication trench across "NO MAN'S LAND", received orders from Captain SMYTHE, that grenades were urgently required in the forward trenches. Sergeant GORDON immediately took a party and proceeded to head of PINNEY's AVENUE dump, which was under intense shell fire, but failing to find any grenades there, he immediately went down BROMPTON AVENUE to LATES POST, and from there Sergeant GORDON with his party kept up a continuous supply of grenades, carrying two boxes at a time, right up to the occupied trenches. This work he continued to do for some eight hours, through a shell shattered Sap, and also under intense shell fire. Sergeant GORDON was largely instrumental in assisting the men to hold back the Germans while the Brigade retired later on in the morning.'
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 184 Date: 14 December 1916
War service: Egypt, Gallipoli, Western Front
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