CARR, Thomas John
| Service Number: | 513 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 23 September 1914, Enlisted at Helena Vale, WA |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1) |
| Born: | Bendigo, Victoria, Australia, 1872 |
| Home Town: | Gwalia, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Engine Driver |
| Died: | Killed in action, Gallipoli, Turkey, 18 August 1915 |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Panel 50, Lone Pine Memorial, Gallipoli Peninsula, Canakkale Province, Turkey |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Kings Park Western Australia State War Memorial, Leonora Honour Roll, Leonora Road Board District Roll of Honor, Leonora War Memorial, Lone Pine Memorial to the Missing |
World War 1 Service
| 23 Sep 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 513, 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1), Enlisted at Helena Vale, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Dec 1914: | Involvement Private, 513, 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1), ANZAC / Gallipoli, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '12' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ceramic embarkation_ship_number: A40 public_note: '' | |
| 22 Dec 1914: | Embarked Private, 513, 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1), HMAT Ceramic, Melbourne | |
| 13 May 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Sergeant, 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1), In the field | |
| 18 Aug 1915: | Involvement Sergeant, 513, 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1), ANZAC / Gallipoli, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 513 awm_unit: 16 Battalion awm_rank: Sergeant awm_died_date: 1915-08-18 | |
| Date unknown: | Honoured Mention in Dispatches, Awarded, and promulgated London Gazette, Supplement, No. 29354, 5 November 1915, page 11003 position 6; Commonwealth Gazette, No. 12, 27 January 1916 page 157 position 4 |
Help us honour Thomas John Carr's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Carol Foster
Husband of Fanny Carr of Gwalia, WA, last known address (1923) was 921 Hay Street, Perth, WA. Father of Alexander Gibson Carr
Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Also served in the Cadets
Biography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Thomas John Carr farewelled his wife Fanny and six-year-old son Alexander at their Gwalia home as he left with other miners to enlist at Helena Vale (now Midland) on 23 September 1914. He was an engine-driver on the Sons of Gwalia mine, Leonora, Western Australia.
His younger brother, 1138 Pte. George Arnold Carr 38th Battalion AIF was later killed in action on 1 June 1917, aged 34. Their father James was long dead, and their mother Harriet passed away in 1918.
Thomas was Melbourne-born and stated he was 38 years of age, when he was actually 42 years. He left Australia as a Private with the 16th Battalion on 22 December 1914, bound for the training camps of Egypt.
Private 513 Thomas Carr arrived on the beach at Anzac Cove with the rest of 16th Battalion’s A Company in the late afternoon of 25 April 1915. He acquitted himself well as a soldier in action and was promoted to Sergeant in the field on 13 May, just a few weeks before he was wounded in the left arm on 10 June.
Sgt Carr was mentioned in despatches for his “conspicuous services” in action and was killed on 18 August 1915. His body was never found and he is commemorated on the Lone Pine Memorial.
He left just a letter and two notebooks which were sent to his wife, who later moved to Kalgoorlie where her address was the Foundry Cafe in Boulder Road.
Fannie received a pension of £52 ($104) per year, while their son Alexander received £13 ($26) per year.
The Leonora Miner September 1915
“The news that Mr. Tom Carr had been killed at the Dardanelles on August 18th while fighting for the Empire was received with extreme regret, throughout the district. "Tom" as he was familiarly called, was one of the first to enlist from Leonora and was also one of its oldest citizens, having been employed at, the Sons of Gwalia mine for periods extending over 14 years. Some time back he was wounded, but recovering was again in the firing line when he met his death. He had worked his way up from private to sergeant and was greatly esteemed by those under him. Much sorrow has been expressed for the widow and children, who reside at Gwalia, in their sad loss.”
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