STRAND, Thomas William
| Service Numbers: | 478, 478A, Q187573 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 18 January 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 1 Garrison Battalion (QLD) |
| Born: | Mitchell, Maranoa, Queensland, Australia, 18 November 1897 |
| Home Town: | Bundaberg, Bundaberg, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Central School, Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia |
| Occupation: | Plumber's Labourer |
| Died: | Cinnabar, Gympie Region, Queensland, Australia, 12 July 1956, aged 58 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Lutwyche Cemetery, Brisbane, Qld |
| Memorials: | Bundaberg Christ Church Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 18 Jan 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 478, 2nd Light Horse Regiment | |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Oct 1916: | Involvement Private, 478, 3rd Machine Gun Company, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '21' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ulysses embarkation_ship_number: A38 public_note: '' | |
| 25 Oct 1916: | Embarked Private, 478, 3rd Machine Gun Company, HMAT Ulysses, Melbourne | |
| 23 Apr 1917: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 21st Machine Gun Company | |
| 17 Dec 1917: | Honoured Military Medal, Polygon Wood, Commonwealth of Australia Gazette: 2 May 1918 on page 1037 at position 207 London Gazette:17 December 1917 on page 13200 at position 48 | |
| 25 Apr 1918: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 478, 1st Machine Gun Battalion , Shell Wound - arm (France) | |
| 25 Mar 1919: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 478A, per Port Denison | |
| 22 Sep 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 478A, 1st Machine Gun Battalion |
World War 2 Service
| 4 Jul 1940: | Involvement Sergeant, Q187573 | |
|---|---|---|
| 4 Jul 1940: | Involvement Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Sergeant, Q187573, 1 Garrison Battalion (QLD) | |
| 4 Jul 1940: | Enlisted | |
| 4 Jul 1940: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Sergeant, Q187573, 1 Garrison Battalion (QLD) | |
| 27 Nov 1943: | Discharged | |
| 27 Nov 1943: | Discharged Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Sergeant, Q187573, 1 Garrison Battalion (QLD) |
Help us honour Thomas William Strand's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Chris Buckley
Tom was the eleventh of thirteen children of Frederick George Henry Strand (born 1852 in Suffolk, England) and Emma Elssabea Stehbens (born 1860 in Germany). Frederick started work as a Cabin Boy in England and immigrated to Maryborough, QLD on board the Great Queensland in 1875. Emma immigrated with her parents and siblings, arriving in Brisbane, QLD on board the Sophi in August 1865. Frederick and Emma married in Maryborough, QLD in 1878 and lived in the West QLD region (Surat, Dalby, Bundaberg and St George) before moving to NSW in 1887 where they lived in Bourke for three years before returning to QLD (Isis, St George, Mitchell, Surat). The family settled in Bundaberg in the early 1900s, where Frederick worked as a Bricklayer.
Tom was a Plumber in Bundaberg, QLD when he enlisted in WWI in 1916 (Trooper; Service No:478A0. He was awarded the Military Medal in 1917 for bravery in the Battle of Polygon Wood, and his brother Alf (Private; Service No:2980) was KiA.
Tom settled in Bundaberg where he was a Grocer in 1920 when he married Dorothy Myrtle Hounsome (born 1895 in London, England). Tom and Dorothy lived in Gladstone and Bundaberg where Tom worked as a Labourer. Following Dorothy's death in 1937, Tom moved to Brisbane, QLD where he was working as a Plumber's Labourer in 1940 when he enlisted in the ACMF. He was a Private (Service No:Q187573) with No 1 Garrison Battalion when he was Discharged in November 1945.
Tom and Elizabeth lived briefly at Buderim in QLD where Tom was a Pineapple Farmer before relocating to Brisbane where he worked as a Taxi Driver and Contractor. Tom died in 1956 and Elizabeth in 1994.
Biography contributed by Chris Buckley
Tom was the sixth of seven children (who survived infancy) of Frederick George Henry Strand (born 1852 in Suffolk, England) and Emma Elssabea Stehbens (born 1860 in Germany). Fred was a Cabin Boy on board the Oak Leaf in 1871, and in 1875 arrived in Maryborough, QLD as Steward on board the Great Queensland. Emma arrived with her family in Maryborough, QLD in 1865 on board the Sophie. In 1878 Fred was a Brickmaker at Bundaberg, QLD when he married Emma in Maryborough. Fred and Emma moved around QLD and NSW - working as a Shepherd at Duck Ponds in Dalby, a Labourer in Surat, a Boundary Rider at Bundingabba Station near Bourke in NSW, a Bricklayer at Burgorah Station near St George in QLD, a Farmer in Mitchell, QLD and Labourer and Brickmaker in Bundaberg.
Tom was a Plumber in Bundaberg, QLD when he and older brother Alf enlisted in the AIF in January 1916. Tom was a Trooper and Private (Service No:478/478A) and was awarded the Military Medal for bravery on 26 September 1916 in the Battle of Polygon Wood (London Gazette 17 December 1917 and Commonwealth of Australia Gazette 2 May 1918). Tom was WiA in April 1918 and met his future wife - a Nurse - in hospital in Dartford, England. Tom was Discharged in 1919. Brother Alf (Private, Service No:2980) was KiA in September 1917. In a letter to his parents from France on 1 September 1917, Tom wrote 'By the time this letter reaches you I will be back in the line dodging shells again - Oh, it's great fum! .... I am looking forward to the end of the war, which will be just after Xmas'. (Cairns Post, Tuesday 20 November 1917).
Tom returned to Bundaberg, QLD and was a Grocer in 1920 when he married Dorothy Hounsome (born 1895 in London, England) - Dorothy had nursed him when he was in hospital at Dartford. Tom and Dorothy lived in Gladstone, Livingstone and Bundaberg in QLD, where Tom worked as a Labourer. Dorothy died in 1937, and Tom was in Brisbane in 1940 when he enlisted in the ACMF. He was a Sergeant (Service No:187573) attached to First Garrison Battalion when he was Discharged in November 1943.
In January 1941 Tom married Elizabeth Jane Brown (nee Ruddick, born 1899 in Brisbane, QLD) in Brisbane. In 1943, following a Lottery win, Tom purchased a pineapple farm in Buderim, QLD, then a poultry farm at Buderim. The family moved to Brisbane where Tom owned a grocery store, and worked as a Taxi Driver, Painting Contractor and Real Estate Salesman. Tom died in 1956 at Cinnabar via Gympie, and Elizabeth died in 1994.
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