COBON, Thomas
| Service Numbers: | 321, 4 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Trooper |
| Last Unit: | 1st Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse |
| Born: | Norfolk, England, United Kingdom, 13 October 1864 |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Stockman |
| Died: | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 29 August 1945, aged 80 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: |
Boer War Service
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Private, 321, Queensland Imperial Bushmen | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Trooper, 4, 1st Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse | |
| 18 May 1900: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 321, 4th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 475 notes 4th QIB embarked 18 May 1900 aboard Manchester Port arriving Beira 14 Jun 1900. | |
| 25 Aug 1900: | Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 321, 4th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, National Archives Australia- Boer War Dossier (p. 4) notes invalided due to bronchitis returned to Australia aboard Wooranambool arriving Brisbane 18 Aug 1900, discharged 25 Aug 1900. | |
| 18 Feb 1902: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Trooper, 4, 1st Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse, AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 167 notes the 1st BACH (NSW) embarked from Sydney 18 Feb 1902 aboard Custodian arriving Durban 19 Mar 1902. | |
| 11 Aug 1902: | Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Trooper, 4, 1st Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse, AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 167 notes 1st BACH (NSW) embarked at Durban 11 Jul 1902 aboard Drayton Grange arriving Sydney 11 Aug 1902 for disbanding/discharge. |
Random research on Thomas Cobon
Thomas Cobon #321 4QIB, “H” Company.
Later Commonwealth Contingent “A” Company (1st Australian Commonwealth Horse No 4) 1902
Random research on the 4QIB by Mary E. Metcalfe
On Thomas’s enlistment shown in the Brisbane Courier for the Fourth Contingent, Thomas Cobon gave his next of kin as “care Mrs Cobon, Stan Hoe, Norfolk, England. Records can also be viewed at Queensland State Archives. See his actual photo in the Australian Town & Country Journal on Saturday 25 Aug 1900 p 38” - “Invalided soldiers who returned by the “Warrnambool”. He had arrived back in Brisbane on 18 August 1900. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71386108.
The South Australian Register of Saturday 11 August 1900, p 8 says “Private Cobon, belonging to the Queensland Bushmen, never got beyond Capetown where he was landed with an attach of bronchitis, and remained in hospital until he was able to return” (to Australia) https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/rendition/nla.news-article54454113.txt Ancestry UK Military Campaign Medal and Award Rolls 1793-1949 indicate he was invalided home on 19 July 1900.
His Queensland State Archives paysheet indicates he was discharged 25 August 1900, making him, in my search, the second member of the 400 strong 4QIB to return home so soon after sailing.
Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), Monday 3 September 1900, page 4
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/rendition/nla.news-article19083346.txt
RETURNED INVALIDS DISCHARGED.
“It is announced that the undermentioned invalids of the Queensland contingents, not being required further for the special service for which they were enrolled are granted their discharges as from the 25th August inclusive: - Fourth Contingent : No. 250, Private W. H. Phillips ; and No. 321, Private T. Cobon.
On 13 January 1902 the same soldier enlisted in the Commonwealth Contingent, aged 32 years, giving his place of birth as Norfolk, England. See his National Archives of Australia record for 1902 at Series B4418, Item Id 679367. It gives the date of his joining as 25 Aug 1900 on his attestation record, but that was actually the date on which he was discharged from the Fourth Continent, according to his paysheet at Queensland State Archives, with his address given as Plane Creek, Post Office Mackay.
See reports in the Evening News, Sydney, for Thursday 9 January 1902, page 3 – The Commonwealth Contingent” and also the Sydney Mail of Saturday 18 January 1902, page 176. The war ended on 31 May 1902 and the troops returned home on various ships thereafter but his movements have been hard to trace to date.
See also Lt Col P.L. Murray records for this man.
Submitted 10 November 2023 by Mary Metcalfe
Biography contributed by Claude McKelvey
Thomas Cobon was born 13 Oct 1864 at Norfolk, England, a son to James Cobon and Isabella Augusta Cobon (nee Hunter).
He served twice in the South African (Boer) War, first as a Private S.N. 321 in the 4th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, second as a Trooper S.N. 4 in the 1st Australian Commonwealth Horse (NSW).
(source- AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 486 & 168; National Archives Australia- Boer War Dossier containing both service records).
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