Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Name: Thomas Sylvanus Thomas (Silvanus on birth record in S.A. Index of Birth Registrations)
Service Number: 5089A
Place of Birth: Adelaide
Date of Birth: 15 January 1880
Place of Enlistment: Port Pirie
Date of Enlistment: 3 August 1917
Age at Embarkation: 37 years 9 months
Marital status: Married
Next of Kin: Wife – Mrs M. Thomas, 5 Sydney Place, off Halifax St, Adelaide.
Occupation: Horse driver
Religion: Methodist
Rank: Private 32nd Battalion, 14th Reinforcement. Unit from Nominal Roll 50th Battalion.
West Adelaide Football Club involvement:
Thomas played 6 games for WAFC from 1909 to 1910, including 1 Australian Club Championship game in 1909. He also played for Port Adelaide. Thomas made his debut on 15 May 1909. The WAFC Annual Report of 1909 spoke highly of the new country recruit who was a State representative that year. The 1910 report paid tribute to his serviceable contribution to the club.
Biographical details:
Thomas was the son of William Thomas and Catherine Jones. Thomas did his basic training with B Coy at Mitcham Camp in August 1917 and joined the 14/32nd on 24 October. His unit embarked from Melbourne on board HMAT A38 Ulysses on 22 December, disembarking at Southampton, England on 15 February 1918 and then proceeded to the 15th Training Battalion at Codford. He was sent to France with his unit on 6 May and transferred from the 32nd to the 50th Battalion on 22 May. Thomas was hospitalised in France with diarrhoea on 2 August for 4 days before being able to rejoin his unit.
After the war ended, Thomas sought non – military employment and from 24 February 1919 to 5 July of that year he was engaged in fruit growing with Ernest Iles of Ingleside, Bristol. Thomas returned to Australia on the Anchises on 23 August 1919 and was discharged on 29 October 1919. He died on 14 February 1922 and his medals were sent to his widow Mrs M. Thomas of 98A Halifax St, Adelaide on 21 July 1924.
Source: NAA; B2455; Thomas T S; Barcode 3002423.