SERVICE PERSON RESEARCH

SERVICE PERSON DETAILS

Service Person’s Name / Thomas West
Rank / Private
Service Number / 1072
Regiment/Unit or
Ship or Squadron / 13th Battalion AIF 4th Brigade
Date of Birth / 8 February 1894
Place of Birth / Morven, East of Warwick
Family Details / Mother: Annie Eliza West
Father: Armigil West
Thomas was the 5th born of 8 children (5 boys, 3 girls) to Annie and Armigil West.
Thomas never married nor had children.
Age at Enlistment / 20 years and 10 months
Place of Enlistment / Liverpool, New South Wales (28 October 1914)
Date of Death / 27 April 1915
Place of Death / Anzac Cove
Cemetery or
Memorial Name / Lone Pine Memorial, Turkey.
Grave or Memorial
Number / 39

PHOTO

Source: Hassett Family Archives

SERVICE PERSON’S STORY/EULOGY:

Prepared by Rhiannon Hassett

On 8 February 1894, Ann and Armigil West welcomed to the world my three times Great Uncle Thomas West. He was born at Morven, east of Warwick, Queensland. Thomas was one of eight children in the West family but tragedy struck in 1898 when his father passed away, leaving Thomas fatherless at age four.

As a young man Thomas was involved in the army, he did a year of cadets and later on three years of service in the Citizen’s Forces also known as the Militia or today’s equivalent of the Army Reserves. He was a labourer by trade until his enlistment on 28 October 1914 in Liverpool, New South Wales. He was 20 years old when he became Private Thomas West, service no. 1072 in the 13th Battalion AIF, 4th Brigade.

Just six weeks after World War 1 broke out his brigade lead by Colonel John Monash (namesake for the Monash University in Melbourne) found themselves aboard the HMAT Ulysses where they departed Melbourne on 22 December 1914. The ship first docked in Albany, Western Australia before sailing to Egypt. The Ulysses arrived at her destination in early February 1915; her passengers became part of the Australian and New Zealand Division.

In the late afternoon of 25 April the 4th Brigade landed at Anzac Cove, their mission was to defend the Anzac frontline. Thomas’ battalion attacked a position now known as Johnston’s Jolly on 25 April. Over the first few days an attempt was made by the Anzacs to gain possession of The Nek, it was in this part of the battle that Thomas was killed in action on 27 April 1915. He is resting in peace at the Lone Pine Memorial in Turkey.

After his death, his mother received a pension of 13 pounds per year. Of his seven siblings left behind his younger brother John also went to war, he too, lost his life for king and country but on the Belgian front line. The family did receive a commemorative plaque for Thomas which his eldest brother accepted on behalf of the West family.

Both his family and country are thankful for his sacrifice.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Australian War Memorial 2015, ‘13th Australian Infantry Battalion’, https://www.awm.gov.au/unit/U51453/ (accessed 19 February 2015)

National Archives 2015, ‘NAA: B2455, WEST THOMAS’ http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=8381620

(accessed 19 February 2015)