Wilfred Lawson Thomas BOLITHO

Wilfred Lawson Thomas BOLITHO Update Details

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BOLITHO, Wilfred Lawson Thomas

Service Numbers:	171, 959, 3591
Enlisted:	Not yet discovered
Last Rank:	Private
Last Unit:	9th Light Horse Regiment
Born:	Adelaide, South Australia, 2 December 1879
Home Town:	Adelaide, South Australia
Schooling:	Not yet discovered
Occupation:	Coachman
Memorials:	Adelaide Treasurer and Chief Secretary Roll of Honour, Myrtle Bank War Memorial

Boer War Service

1 Oct 1899:	Involvement Private, 959, 2nd Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse
1 Oct 1899:	Involvement Trooper, 171, 4th Imperial Bushmen

World War 1 Service

2 Nov 1917:	Involvement Private, 3591, 9th Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '2' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Commonwealth embarkation_ship_number: A73 public_note: ''
2 Nov 1917:	Embarked Private, 3591, 9th Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Commonwealth, Melbourne
Date unknown:	Wounded 3591, 9th Light Horse Regiment

Help us honour Wilfred Lawson Thomas Bolitho's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Clare Campbell

Fred, as he was known, had served in 2 tours of the Boer War before being married to Violet May Berry. They had 2 daughters, Lilian Alice Maud, and Winifred May. The family still treasures postcards sent from Egypt to Violet and his daughters, as well as a post card sent by Eddie Bone, a fellow serviceman and Aboriginal man whom Wilfred taught to read and write.

On his return, neighbours of Fred & Violet, John James (JJ) and Eva Evelyn O'Neil - a garrulous and lively family of 9 boys and 1 girl, who lived in the same street as the Bolithos and had one of the first cars in Adelaide, drove Violet and the girls to the wharf to welcome Fred home.

Fred got a job as a wardsman at Parkside Mental Hospital as he was a gentle and compassionate man who had rejected entreaties to join the Police Force, he is remembered by his grandchildren as a lovely, quiet and considered man. His wife Violet died when the Lily and Wynne were young. Lily married Jack O'Neil of their neighbouring family and Wynne went to Melbourne to stay with Berry family members. Fred was to remarry, having 2 more daughters.

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