WEATHERS, Thomas Francis
| Service Number: | 204 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 11 September 1914, Morphettville, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Trooper |
| Last Unit: | 9th Light Horse Regiment |
| Born: | Mangawhare, New Zealand, 11 September 1885 |
| Home Town: | Adelaide, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Barunga Gap (Percyton) and Snowtown Public Schools, South Australia |
| Occupation: | Coachman |
| Died: | Died of wounds, Gallipoli, Turkey, 15 June 1915, aged 29 years |
| Cemetery: |
Ari Burnu Cemetery, Gallipoli Row B, Grave 18, |
| Memorials: | Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 11 Sep 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, 204, Morphettville, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 12 Feb 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 204, 9th Light Horse Regiment, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '2' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Armadale embarkation_ship_number: A26 public_note: '' | |
| 12 Feb 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 204, 9th Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Armadale, Melbourne | |
| 15 Jun 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Trooper, 204, 9th Light Horse Regiment, ANZAC / Gallipoli, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 204 awm_unit: 9 Light Horse Regiment awm_rank: Trooper awm_died_date: 1915-06-15 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Robert Kearney
Elder brother of 1153 Cpl. Lawrence Cathage Weathers VC (/explore/people/164298) who died of wounds in France on 29 September 1918.
"...204 Private Thomas Francis (Frank) Weathers, A Squadron, 9th Light Horse Regiment, who died of wounds on 15 June 1915 at the Gallipoli Peninsula. A coachman of South Australia, he enlisted in the AIF on 11 September 1914. After receiving shrapnel wounds he was hospitalised at Anzac Cove, where he subsequently died. His burial was officiated over by Chaplain Edward Makeham..." - SOURCE (www.awm.gov.au)
"THE LATE PRIVATE T. F. WEATHERS.
News has been received in Adelaide of the death of Private T. F. Weathers, eldest son of Mrs. Weathers, Adelaide, and the late Mr. John Joseph Weathers, who was some years ago a well-known squatter of the northern districts. On the outbreak of the war Private Weathers was amongst the first to offer his services, and joined the Expeditionary Force at Morphettville, on his twenty-ninth birthday, in September last." - from the Adelaide Chronicle 17 Jul 1915 (nla.gov.au)
Medals: 1914-15, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Biography contributed by Robert Kearney
Thomas Francis Weathers by relative Brendan McEvoy
Born 11th September 1885 in Mangawhare, New Zealand
Son of John Joseph Weathers and Johannah Ellen Frances (nee McCormack) Weathers.
Thomas Weathers had three brothers, Michael Albert Weathers (who died as an infant), Lawrence Carthage Weathers VC, and Joseph James Augustine Weathers, and three sisters.
The Weathers Family had left Australia, emigrating to the North Island of New Zealand in the 1880’s, but returned to Australia soon after their father, John Weathers, unexpectedly died in 1899. Mrs Weathers, now a widow, went to live with the extended family at Barunga Gap (later renamed Percyton) in the mid north of South Australia and the children were schooled there and at Snowtown Public school, later moving to Adelaide.
The three Weathers boys all enlisted in the AIF,
204 Private Thomas Francis Weathers in the 9th Light Horse Regiment A Squadron
1153 Cpl Lawrence Carthage Weathers VC in the 43rd Battalion,
Both of these soldiers were killed in action.
2951 Private Joseph James Augustine Weathers also enlisted in the 9th Light Horse reinforcements, but he was discharged at his own request during embarking in Adelaide (I brother already KIA, 2nd brother in France later KIA needed at home to manage the family).
Thomas Francis Weathers enlisted on his 29th birthday and after some initial training in Australia embarked for England and then on to Gallipoli. Thomas died of shrapnel wounds to the abdomen soon after landing and lies buried in Ari Burni cemetery on the beach just north of Anzac Cove, Turkey.
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