Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

My Uncle was in the band in Palestine as he was a wonderful musician and could play many instruments. Like his parents and grandparents before him, including the Cornish Composer John Henry Thomas. He favoured the violin when growing up in Moonta and Minlaton but then became absolutely dedicated to jazz. he played mainly tenor sax after the style of Coleman Hawkins and also other types of saxaphone, clarinet, flute and piccolo.

He was married to his music until he died from Kidney failure in Adelaide, however most of his musical life was lead in Sydney. He also played in the pit for famous musicians who visited Australia and would travel with them. I have a recording of his.

When he came back to Australia from Palestine he brought many momentos which hung around our home during my childhood and this was instrumental together with his many photos of stirring my interest in the Middle East.

His beloved mother died from a sudden heart attack on the train when he was young and his sister, my mother, often commented that he never really got over her death. I loved him very much. He was a generous man who always brought me gifts from Sydney. he would play with my mother on piano and my father on violin every night when he would come to stay with us at Strathalbyn. My brother Noel and I would frequently go with him to jazz improvisation sessions and dance together to his music. He formed his own band named after his Uncle Seymour who was killed and missing in Ypres in WW1.

He was quite handsome with a widow's peak and jet black hair. he had a lovely smile and was already to laugh and joke with us. I remember him as a jovial person in my childhood. - Sandra Christine Paech (his only niece)