WARE, Tom
| Service Number: | SX6443 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 22 June 1940 |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 2nd/43rd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Payneham, South Australia, 4 June 1916 |
| Home Town: | Maylands (SA), Norwood Payneham St Peters, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Grocer |
| Died: | Died of wounds, Libya, 12 August 1941, aged 25 years |
| Cemetery: |
Tobruk War Cemetery, Tobruk, Libya |
| Memorials: | Adelaide WW2 Wall of Remembrance, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Municipality of St Peters Citizens Who Have Enlisted Roll of Honour |
World War 2 Service
| 22 Jun 1940: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Sergeant, SX6443, 2nd/43rd Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 12 Aug 1941: | Involvement Sergeant, SX6443, 2nd/43rd Infantry Battalion | |
| Date unknown: | Involvement |
A Letter to Tom's wife Lorna
Sgt Tom Ware SX6443 died at Tobruk on the 12th of August 1941 in the Fig Tree Aid Post at Tobruk. Tom sustained wounds from a bomb dropped on a work party he was directing. The following is a transcription of a letter, his platoon mates sent to his wife Lorna, describing what happened on that day.
The No 3 Platoon Abroad
To Mrs T Ware 53 Phillis Street Maylands S Aus
Dear Madam
No doubt you have been advised by the Defence Dept. of the death of Tom, who died from wounds received in action, we thought it our duty to communicate with you & ask you to accept our deepest sympathy in the loss of a brave husband.
We the undersigned trained in Australia with Tom, where we spent many happy months in camp. After training was completed, we came over here and worked together until Tom met his sad end, so we decided to supply you with as many particulars as we were permitted to give.
One morning at about 9 o’clock 13 of us left our camp and walked along a road to the foot of a hill where we were going to spend the morning doing our work. Soon after having reached our destination the enemy dropped a stick of bombs and as the first one was falling, we rushed for cover. Tom made for a position on a slope at the side of the road, as this was the only cover available at this particular point. He just reached his objective when a bomb fell about 8 yards away, and we do not know if he had time or not to go ground before the bomb exploded. There is a possibility that a piece of shrapnel may have hit him before he had time to lay flat on the ground. As soon as we noticed that he had been hit one of the boys hurried for a doctor who arrived at the scene about 5 minutes later. Everything possible was done to make him comfortable & he was conveyed to hospital where an operation was performed. The poor lad fought a game losing battle until the following night when he passed away.
A short time before he died the Padre paid him a visit and Tom said, “How are my boys?”. The Padre replied, “They are all right”. Tom said, “That’s good”. This is just what one would expect of Tom because his men were his first consideration always. He was highly respected by every man in this battalion & we can assure you that he will be hard to replace, because he was a fearless brainy leader.
He was laid to rest in the local cemetery & all the men of his platoon who were not casualties attended the funeral to pay their last respects to a wonderful leader, friend & gentleman.
A nice border has been made & placed around the grave, with a white cross at the head, which has a brass plate attached bearing his number, name, rank, unit and date of death.
We know that Tom’s tragic death has caused you a lot of worry but we also know that you will be greatly relieved when you think that he died fighting for his country & the loved ones at home.
When this evil war is over some of the boys who were under his command will call on you & give you further details concerning the dreadful experience, they went through on that fateful summer’s morning.
Unfortunately, we do not know the address of Tom’s dear mother & would deem it a great favour if you will pass this letter on to her to read.
There is nothing more we can say so once again ask you to accept our very deepest sympathy.
Yours sincerely
A M Badenock, D V Adams, R C Stanley, H M Lee, A G Francis, R C Stone, F Little, R E Smith, A R Parker and C Giles.
Submitted 27 April 2024 by Kym Truscott
Biography contributed by Kym Truscott
Tom Ware Service No. SX6443
Tom Ware was born on the 4th of June 1916 in West Marden, Adelaide South Australia. His parents were William Thomas Ware (1881-1933) and Jessie Amy Edge (1878-1965).
Tom was 16 when his father died from cancer in 1933. Dad, William Ware had seen action in South Africa in 1899-1900 as a member of the FIRST SOUTH AUSTRALIAN RIFLES. He may have been the reason Tom enjoyed the outdoors, the Scouts and the Army. Tom was involved with the Scouts for many years. He attended the 1st Australian Scout Jamboree. It was held over the New Year of
1934/1935 in Frankston, Victoria. Lord Robert Baden Powell addressed some 10,000 scouts at this rally.
Tom enlisted in the Militia on the 15th of August 1938. (Army No. 305259)
Lorna Constance Martin was born on the 5th of March 1917 in Rosslyn Park, Adelaide, South Australia. Her Parents were Henry William James Martin (1870 – 1956) and Phyllis Annie Holmes
(1873 -1958).
Tom enlisted in the 2nd AIF on the 22nd of June 1940. At the time he was working as a Grocer at the Central Provision Stores. He did his initial training at the Woodside Army Barracks in the Adelaide Hills from the 17th of July 1940.
Tom & Lorna married on the 10th of August 1940.
WARE—— Martin THE Rev. Gordon Cornish, a cousin of the bride, is officiating this afternoon at the
marriage of Miss Lorna C. Martin and Pte. Tom Ware, A.I.F., at St. Mark's, Maylands. The bride is the
younger daughter of Mr. and Mrs. H. W. J. Martin, of Maylands, and the bridegroom is the younger
son of Mrs. W. T. Ware, of West Marden, and of the late Mr. Ware. Mr. Martin is giving his daughter
away. She is wearing an off-white satin gown, trimmed with white beading, and having a train falling
from the shirred waist, two white birds adorn the Brussels lace veil, which has been lent by Mrs. G.
Cornish. She carries a trailing sheaf of flowers. Mrs. M. S. Bradshaw is matron of honour, and the
bridesmaid is Miss Olive Ey. They have dresses of pink figured satin with matching hats of the same
material, and are carrying posies. Mr. L. J. Metcalf and Mr. L. A. B. Martin are best man and
groomsman. A reception to which 70 guests have been invited is being held at the Windsor Cafe,
Rundle Street.
Tom must have impressed his superiors and was promoted to Corporal on the 19th of September 1940. He was promoted to Sergeant on the 23rd of November 1940.
The 2/43rd Infantry Battalion was formed on the 17th of July 1940 at Woodside camp, near Adelaide in South Australia. The battalion was initially raised as part of the 8th Division's 24th Brigade and was transferred to the newly formed 9th Division in December. The 2nd /43rd left South Australia at the end of December and moved to Melbourne, where it joined the convoy taking the brigade to the Middle East. The battalion arrived at Egypt at the end of January 1941. Disembarking at Port Tewfik,the Port of Suez, it travelled by train to Palestine. Southern Palestine was being used as a base for the Australians, where they could complete their training. The 2/43rd went into camp at Khassa,north of Gaza. By early 1941 the British advance in the Western Desert had reached El Agheila. In March the 9th Division was brought to Libya, to garrison the area east of Tobruk. The division did not have enough vehicles to bring all its units forward towards Benghazi. Consequently, the 24th Brigade (comprising the 2/43rd, 2/28th, and 2/32nd Battalions) remained in Tobruk.
Extract from the 2/43rd Infantry Battalion War Diary.
These attacks reached a peak on the 12th of August when an enemy plane dropped bombs on a
nearby ammunition dump, setting it on fire and causing many shells to explode in all haphazardly in
all directions. One of the bombs caused the death of nine soldiers and three others were wounded.
The mortar platoon suffered grievously, and those killed included mortar personnel Sergeant Tom Ware and Private H. M. Sparshott.
Tom died in hospital from wounds on the 12th of August 1941 in Libya, North Africa.4 He was only 25 years of age. Buried at the Tobruk War Cemetery Tobruk, Al Buṭnān, Libya Plot 6 Row B Grave 9.
His name is located at panel 63 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial.
Tom had been granted a week’s leave in Jerusalem in July 1941. On Tuesday the 18th of July he wrote a twelve-page letter to his mother & Jessie describing his experience. The agony for Jessie was the letter arrived after she had been officially notified of his death. The letter survives and shows much wear and tear. Family sources tell us Jessie read the letter many times. Tom was the “apple of her eye” and she was deeply affected by his death.
The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA: 1931 - 1954) Fri 22 Aug 1941 Page 10.
Private Advices Sergeant Tom Ware, 25, husband of Mrs Lorna Ware, of 53 Phillis Street, Maylands,
who has died from wounds, enlisted in June, 1940, and left Australia in December that year. Sergeant
Ware was employed at Central Provision Stores, Rundle Street, before enlisting with the A.I.F. He was
the younger son of Mrs J. A. Ware, of Pollock Avenue, West Marden.
The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA: 1931 - 1954) Sat 23 Aug 1941 Page 12.
Family Notices WARE. —On the 12th of August, died of wounds. Sgt. Tom Ware, dearly loved
husband of Lorna. of Maylands. aged 25 years. His duty nobly done. WARE. —On the 12th of August,
died of wounds. Sgt. Tom Ware, loving younger son of Mrs. J. A. Ware, of West Marden. and the late
Mr. Ware, aged 25 years. His duty nobly done.
After Tom died his platoon mates who were there when he was wounded sent Lorna a letter describing what had happened on the day. A copy survives.
Advertiser (Adelaide, SA: 1931 - 1954), Saturday 11 August 1945, page 16.
WARE. —In loving memory of my beloved son Tom died of wounds at Tobruk August 12. 1941.
Though your eyes are closed for ever, and your hands cannot touch, we will never lose sweet
memories of a son I loved so well. —Inserted by his mother.
WARE. —In loving memory of my dear brother Tom. died on August 12. 1941, at Tobruk. Always in
our thoughts. — Inserted by bis sister Gwen. Glen and boys.
WARE. —In loving memory of Tom, died at wounds at Tobruk August 12. As he Lived, so he died —a
man, —inserted by his loving brother Bob and Phoebe.
WARE- —In loving memory of Tom. Died at Tobruk August 12. 1941. Ever remembered. — Inserted
by bis loving sister Jess and Lou.
WARE. —In loving memory of dear] Tom, who died August 12. 1941. Loving memories live for ever.
—inserted by his Loving sister Phyl and Harold.
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