LOXTON, Thomas Samuel
| Service Number: | 4164 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 1 September 1915, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 48th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Leigh Creek, South Australia, August 1894 |
| Home Town: | Moorook, Loxton Waikerie, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | War service related, Adelaide, South Australia, 3 May 1938 |
| Cemetery: |
AIF Cemetery, West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide, South Australia Section: LO, Road: 1AS, Site No: 6 |
| Memorials: | Mannum District Roll of Honor |
World War 1 Service
| 1 Sep 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4164, Adelaide, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 11 Jan 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 4164, 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1), HMAT Borda, Adelaide | |
| 11 Jan 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 4164, 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1), Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '12' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Borda embarkation_ship_number: A30 public_note: '' | |
| 2 Apr 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 48th Infantry Battalion | |
| 26 Nov 1916: | Wounded AIF WW1, Corporal, 4164, 48th Infantry Battalion | |
| 11 Apr 1917: | Honoured Military Medal, Bullecourt (First), "At BULLECOURT for gallantry and devotion to duty during the attack on HINDENBURG LINE on 11th April 1917. Corporal LOXTON went forward carrying two panniers and a Lewis gun and was one of the first to reach the objective. He immediately got his guns into action and inflicted casualties on the enemy. Retiring he showed great coolness and presence of mind and set a fine example of soldierly bearing and devotion to duty. He was eventually wounded." | |
| 11 Apr 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Corporal, 4164, 48th Infantry Battalion, Bullecourt (First), 2nd occasion - GSW (neck) | |
| 19 Feb 1918: | Wounded AIF WW1, Sergeant, 4164, 48th Infantry Battalion, 3rd occasion - GSW (armpit, knee, leg) | |
| 10 Dec 1918: | Discharged AIF WW1, Sergeant, 4164, 48th Infantry Battalion |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Evan Evans
From How We Served
4164 Corporal Thomas Samuel Loxton MM of Moorook, South Australia had been employed as a labourer prior to his enlistment for War Service on the 1st September 1915, and was allocated to reinforcements for the 16th Battalion 1st AIF.
Thomas embarked for Egypt and further training on the 11th of January 1916 and was transferred to the 48th Battalion, with which he was shipped to France with arriving on the 9th of June. Thomas would be wounded in action on the 26th of November suffering wounds to his finger and was hospitalised following which he re-joined his Unit in the field on the 17th of January 1917.
On the 11th of April Thomas was present for the First Battle of Bullecourt on the 11th of April, and during this attack he received a gunshot wound to the neck and was sent to England for hospitalisation, arriving on the 17th of April. Whilst in hospital it was announced that Thomas had been recommended for the Military Medal for Bravery in the Field. His citation for this award is as follows;-
'At BULLECOURT for gallantry and devotion to duty during the attack on HINDENBURG LINE on 11th April 1917. Corporal LOXTON went forward carrying two panniers and a Lewis gun and was one of the first to reach the objective. he immediately got his guns into action and inflicted casualties on the enemy. Retiring he showed great coolness and presence of mind and set a fine example of soldierly bearing and devotion to duty. He was eventually wounded.'
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 189
Date: 8 November 1917
By the 25th of August Thomas had been returned to his unit in the field and was promoted to Sergeant. Thomas’s service would be continuous again until he was wounded in action for a third occasion, having received wounds to his left leg. Due to the serious nature of these, Thomas would need to have his right upper leg amputated above the knee. Now deemed an invalid Thomas would be repatriated back to Australia, departing England and arriving on the 1st of September 1918. Following further treatment for the wounds he had sustained in France Thomas received his official discharge from the 1st AIF and was re-entered back into civilian life.
Thomas’s untimely death occurred on the 3rd of March 1938, at the age of 43 and following this he was formally laid to rest within West Terrace Cemetery, South Australia.
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