Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Thomas Albert Wise was born on the 30 September, 1885, at Norong, Victoria. At the time of his birth his father, William Wise (1861 to 1952), was 24, and his mother, Bertha Jeanette Frederike, nee Stomann (1859 to 1945), was 25. Thomas was the only boy of five children. His sisters were Rose Ann Matilda (1883 to 1979), Mary Ellen (1889 to 1964), Lily Marie (1892 to 1989) and Jeanette Johanna (1896 to 1897).

On the 6 August, 1915, Thomas enlisted in the AIF (Australian Imperial Forces) at Melbourne, Victoria. Upon enlistment, Thomas was 5 foot 5 inches tall (165 cm) and weighed 10 stone 5 lbs (66 kg). His complexion was given as medium, eyes grey and hair brown. Thomas’ records show that he had the distinctive marks of four vaccinations on the left arm, a mole on his right shoulder blade, two moles on his buttock and a scar on his left knee. Thomas’ religious denomination was given as Church Of England. Prior to enlisting, Thomas was a teacher at Guy’s Forest State School (3491).

Thomas was given the service number 2855 and went into the Royal Park Camp on the 4 September, 1915. Shortly afterwards he transferred to Seymour Camp, where he joined the 22 Reinforcements of the 8th Light Horse. While there he qualified as a Musketry Instructor. He also underwent a course of instruction in the Light Horse Officers School at Broadmeadows. He was then engaged at the Light Horse Headquarters as Sergeant, in charge of Light Horse embarkation records.

Thomas embarked on the HMAT A1 Hymettus on the 12 September, 1916, sailing from Sydney, New South Wales. The trip would take him across the Great Australian Bight to Fremantle, on to Colombo, in Ceylon, before finally disembarking at Suez, at the southern end of the Suez Canal, in Egypt.

Upon arriving he joined the 3rd Light Horse Training Regiment at Moascar on the 31 October, 1916. Here he acted as NCO (Non-Commissioned Officers) Musketry Instructor for some time. He then underwent a short course of training at Cleopatra Signal Camp, before going into the field early in 1917, with the Signal Squadron of the Australian Mounted Division.

While with this unit, he took part in both battles of Gaza, the second of which was on the 19 April, 1917. He joined the 8th Light Horse Regiment on the 5 May, 1917 and served in the field with this unit until the 3 August, 1917, when he transferred to the 67th (Australian) Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps, reverting to the rank of Air Mechanic 2nd Class. This squadron afterwards became the First Squadron, Australian Flying Corps. He served with this unit without leaving it until the end of the war.

Thomas embarked on the transport SS Port Sydney returning to Australia on the 17 April, 1919. He was finally discharged on the 30 May, 1919. For his service during the war, he was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Records indicate that Thomas married Monica Josephine Breustedt (1894 to 1982), at Sacred Heart Church, Seymour, Victoria on the 5 February, 1916. During their marriage they had 6 children; Thomas Adrian (1917 to 2007), Margaret Anne (1920 to 2007), Leopold (1920 to 1920), Brian Bennett (1922 to 1993), William Ross (1923 to 2001) and John Henry (1926 to 2015). Electoral rolls show that they would live in a number of Victorian towns where Thomas would teach. These included Allansford (1919) and Surrey Hills (at 25 Leopold Crescent, Mont Albert, from 1924 to 1954). The 1943 Electoral roll shows that Thomas and Monica lived at 34 Dean St, Preston (where he gave his profession as soldier) and at Gunbower in 1949 (where he gave his profession as a sleeper cutter).

During World War 2, Thomas once again answered his country’s call to arms enlisting in the Citizen Military Forces (CMF) at South Melbourne, Victoria. On the 24 August, 1940, Thomas was given the Army Number V60409 and became part of the AASC (Australian Army Service Corp) Southern Command.

Thomas passed away at the age of 70 on the 22 September, 1956, at Kiewa, Victoria and was buried at Box Hill, Victoria. His wife, Monica, would live for another 26 years, passing away at the age of 88.

Extract from "Light Horsemen of the Upper Murray", Year 5 and 6 Project, Corryong College.