COONEY, Thomas Albert
| Service Number: | 5060 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 55th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Redfern, New South Wales, Australia, date not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Redfern, City of Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Railway Construction Worker |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Belgium, 24 September 1917, age not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Flanders, Belgium |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board, Menin Gate Memorial (Commonwealth Memorial to the Missing of the Ypres Salient) |
World War 1 Service
| 1 Apr 1916: | Involvement Private, 5060, 3rd Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: SS Makarini embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Apr 1916: | Embarked Private, 5060, 3rd Infantry Battalion, SS Makarini, Sydney | |
| 24 Sep 1917: | Involvement Private, 5060, 55th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 5060 awm_unit: 55th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1917-09-24 |
Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board
Thomas COONEY was employed by the Railways on construction works including the Wardell Road – Glebe Island goods line. On 4 April 1913 the Daily Telegraph reported –
"Thomas Cooney (31), a labourer, living at 82 Eveleigh-street, Redfern, was admitted yesterday… to the Balmain Hospital, suffering from concussion of the brain and severe scalp wounds, caused through his being struck on the head by a piece of rock at the Leichhardt deviation works, where he was employed…"
Submitted 6 June 2023 by John Oakes
Biography contributed by John Oakes
Thomas COONEY was born in Redfern. He gave his ‘trade or calling’ as ‘labourer’ when he enlisted as ‘Thomas Albert Cooney’ in March 1916 at Liverpool. He had been employed by the Railways on construction works including the Wardell Road – Glebe Island goods line. On 4th April 1913 the Daily Telegraph reported –
Thomas Cooney (31), a labourer, living at 82 Eveleigh-street, Redfern, was admitted yesterday… to the Balmain Hospital, suffering from concussion of the brain and severe scalp wounds, caused through his being struck on the head by a piece of rock at the Leichhardt deviation works, where he was employed…
He embarked from Sydney in April 1916. He spent some time in Egypt training and being treated for venereal disease. He was sent to France in June. He joined his battalion at the Front in August 1916. He had four weeks rest in camp and on leave in England in August – September 1917. He was killed in action in Belgium on 24th September 1917, less than a week after rejoining his unit from leave. He has no known grave but is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial. War pensions were granted to his widow and three surviving children.
- based on notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board