10451
EVANS, Thomas Britton
| Service Number: | 5594 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 25 March 2016 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 21st Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Morrl, Morrl, near Stawell, Victoria, Australia, 1887 |
| Home Town: | Bordertown, Tatiara, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Morrl Morrl, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Assembler |
| Died: | Adelaide, South Australia, 24 January 1953, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Bordertown Cemetery, South Australia Old section, Row K, Plot 38 |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 25 Sep 1916: | Involvement Private, 5594, 22nd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '13' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Shropshire embarkation_ship_number: A9 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Sep 1916: | Embarked Private, 5594, 22nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Shropshire, Melbourne | |
| 13 Sep 1917: | Discharged AIF WW1, 5594, 21st Infantry Battalion | |
| 11 Nov 1918: | Involvement Private, 5594, 21st Infantry Battalion | |
| 25 Mar 2016: | Enlisted AIF WW1, 5594, 21st Infantry Battalion |
Help us honour Thomas Britton Evans's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Paul Lemar
Thomas was the son of Samuel George EVANS & Elizabeth KEEGAN and was born in 1887 in Morrl, Morrl, near Stawell, VIC.
His parents were married in 1878 in Victoria.
His father was the son of Samuel EVANS & Isabella Sophia RAFFERTY and was born in 1853 in Melbourne, VIC.
His mother was the daughter of James KEEGAN & Bridget BARON and was born in 1861 in Navarre, VIC.
Thomas was the seventh child born into this family of 16 children.
His father was a farmer and they lived at Morrl Morrl, near Stawell, Victoria.
Thomas was born deaf in his left ear but this did not stop him attending the little Morrl Morrl Public School and becoming an Assembler.
His father died on the 1st of June 1911 in Morrl, Morrl, near Stawell and they buried him in the Stawell Cemetery.
His brother Robert enlisted into the AIF on the 4th of November 1915 and allotted the service number 11146 and served with the Permanent Guard at the 21st Depot Battalion in Warrnambool.
At the age of 29, Thomas enlisted into the 1st AIF on the 25th of March 1916 in Melbourne and allotted the service number 5594 and posted to the Provost Marshals in Melbourne before being transferred to the 21st Battalion, 15th Reinforcements.
On Saturday evening, the 5th of August 1917 a farewell social was given to Thomas and the residence of Morrl Morrl presented him with a valuable wallet.
His sister Isabel then enlisted into the AANS as a Staff Nurse on the 21st of August 1916 and embarked on the following day from Melbourne on board the Mooltan for service in India & Salonika.
Thomas embarked from Melbourne on board HMAT A9 Shropshire on the 25th of September 1916, disembarked in Plymouth. He was transferred to the 6th Training Battalion in Camp 25 at Lark Hill and as he struggled with his hearing he was employed in the cookhouse. But he was found medically unfit and recommended fro return to Australia.
He embarked from England on the 4th of May 1917 on board HT Runic, disembarking in Melbourne on the 5th of July.
Thomas was discharged from the AIF, medically unfit, on the 13th of September 1917.
He returned home to the family farm in time to see his mother before she died on the 22nd of September 1917.
Isabel was invalided back to Australia suffering from Exophthalmic Goitre (Graves Disease) on the 8th of December 1917 on board Tofua.
In January 1924 Thomas announced his engagement to Miss Ruby Agnes May LAHIFF of Bordertown.
Thomas and Ruby then married.
Ruby was the daughter of Michael LAHIFF & Mary Anne KAVANAGH and was born on the 23rd of February 1900 in Bordertown.
In July 1925 Thomas purchased Section 60, Hundred of Tatiara, containing 5 acres. This land is located between Green Street, Aird Street & Victoria Parade, Bordertown.
They welcomed their only child; Elizabeth Mary, in 1929.
Thomas joined the Bordertown RSL Sub-Branch and by 1939 was a fitter employed by the Bordertown Railway.
In April 1944 he purchased section 179, Hundred of Tatiara, containing 39 acres.
This land was located at the southern end of Western Drive and Thomas turned his hand to farming until 1950 when he sold this property.
On the 22nd of September 1951 their daughter married Leo Sylvester DEMPSEY in the St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Bordertown.
In 1952 Thomas gifted a portion of his land on Victoria Parade to the Catholic Church and they built St Marks on this land.
Thomas died on the 24th of January 1953 in Adelaide and was buried in the Bordertown Cemetery; Old Section, Row K, Plot 38.
Ruby died on the 7th of June 1988 and was buried in the Bordertown Cemetery; Old Section, Row K, Plot 39, next to Thomas.
Military
At the age of 29, Thomas enlisted into the 1st AIF on the 25th of March 1916 in Melbourne and allotted the service number 5594 and posted to the Provost Marshals in Melbourne.
He listed his mother, Mrs Elizabeth Evans, of Morrl Morrl, near Stawell, VIC, as his next of kin.
On the 15th of June Thomas suffered from Middle Ear Catarrh and was admitted into the 5th Australian General Hospital in Melbourne with Middle Ear Catarrh for 2 weeks.
On the 1st of August 1916 he was posted to the 21st Battalion, 15th Reinforcements at Royal Park Camp.
Thomas embarked from Melbourne on board HMAT A9 Shropshire on the 25th of September 1916, disembarked in Plymouth on the 11th of November and marched into No.3 Command Depot in Rolleston.
He was then transferred to the 6th Training Battalion in Camp 25 at Lark Hill.
Thomas struggled with his hearing and was employed in the cookhouse, but on the 19th of March 1917 he was found medically unfit and recommended fro return to Australia.
Thomas was then transferred to No.2 Command Depot in Weymouth on the 21st of April and embarked from England on board HT Runic on the 4th of May 1917, disembarking in Melbourne on the 5th of July.
He was then admitted into the 11th Australian General Hospital in Caulfield and then discharged from hospital on the 23rd of August.
Thomas was discharged from the AIF, medically unfit, on the 13th of September 1917 and was awarded the British War Medal.