Pte
Archie Stuart Thom
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 03/04/1884 |
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Place of birth: Crieff, Kinross, Scotland, United Kingdom |
General information
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Last known residence: 79 Ferry Street, Kangaroo Point, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
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Profession: Labourer |
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Religion: Presbyterian |
Army information
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Country: Australia |
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Force: Australian Imperial Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 3210 |
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Enlistment date: 10/11/1916 |
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Enlistment place: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
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Units: — Australian Infantry, 47th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 12/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Defy Crossing, Zonnebeke, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 33 |
Cemetery
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Tyne Cot Cemetery Plot: III Row: A Grave: 14 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 4
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Last known residence | ||
| #3 | Enlistment place | ||
| #4 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Archie Stuart Thom was born on 3 April 1884 in Crieff, as the son of James and Annie Thom. Before the war he lived in Brisbane, Queensland, and worked as a labourer. He married Caroline Elizabath. Archie enlisted in the Australian Army on 10 November 1916 and served with the 47th Battalion Australian Infantry (12th Australian Brigade, 4th Australian Division).
Archie was killed on 12 October 1917 during the First Battle of Passchendaele, part of the Battle of Passchendaele. The objective of the 12th Brigade was to advance via the Broodseinde Ridge toward Keiberg Spur. In doing so, they flanked the 3th Australian Division, which was advancing north of the Ypres–Roulers railway line toward Passchendaele. The brigade’s start lines were located just in front of Nieuwemolen. The 47th Battalion was tasked with capturing the first objectives in the vicinity of Rhine, after which the 48th Battalion was to take over.
The attack immediately encountered setbacks. The soldiers were exhausted from marching through the mud. The battalion headquarters, located in a bunker on the Broodseinde Ridge, was also hit. Almost all signallers and runners became casualties, making further communication with the front lines more difficult. The 47th Battalion managed to reach the ridge, but the attack by the 48th Battalion was delayed due to the large distance to the 9th Brigade. Around 3:00 p.m., reports were received of a possible German counterattack, which began an hour later from Assyria Ridge. Although the counterattack was repelled, the troops ultimately had to withdraw to a line just beyond the starting positions.
During the actions on 12 October 1917, the 47th Battalion Australian Infantry suffered heavy losses. Among them was the 33-year-old Archie Stuart Thom. After the war, his body was recovered opposite the German cemetery Keerselaarhoek, near Defy Crossing. His remains were reinterred at Tyne Cot Cemetery, where he still rests today.
Archie was killed on 12 October 1917 during the First Battle of Passchendaele, part of the Battle of Passchendaele. The objective of the 12th Brigade was to advance via the Broodseinde Ridge toward Keiberg Spur. In doing so, they flanked the 3th Australian Division, which was advancing north of the Ypres–Roulers railway line toward Passchendaele. The brigade’s start lines were located just in front of Nieuwemolen. The 47th Battalion was tasked with capturing the first objectives in the vicinity of Rhine, after which the 48th Battalion was to take over.
The attack immediately encountered setbacks. The soldiers were exhausted from marching through the mud. The battalion headquarters, located in a bunker on the Broodseinde Ridge, was also hit. Almost all signallers and runners became casualties, making further communication with the front lines more difficult. The 47th Battalion managed to reach the ridge, but the attack by the 48th Battalion was delayed due to the large distance to the 9th Brigade. Around 3:00 p.m., reports were received of a possible German counterattack, which began an hour later from Assyria Ridge. Although the counterattack was repelled, the troops ultimately had to withdraw to a line just beyond the starting positions.
During the actions on 12 October 1917, the 47th Battalion Australian Infantry suffered heavy losses. Among them was the 33-year-old Archie Stuart Thom. After the war, his body was recovered opposite the German cemetery Keerselaarhoek, near Defy Crossing. His remains were reinterred at Tyne Cot Cemetery, where he still rests today.
Sources 6
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1891 Scotland Census (National Records of Scotland, Edinburgh (NRS), Reels 1-409). https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/ Sources used |
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47th Australian Infantry Battalion, (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM4 23/64/17). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used |
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Deayton Craig. Battle Scarred: the 47th Battalion in the First World War (Newport: Big Sky publishing Ltd, 2011), 156-188. Sources used |
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First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920 (National Archives of Australia, Canberra (NAA), B2455, THOM A S). https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/ Sources used |
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McCarthy, Chris. Passchendaele: The Day by Day Account (Londen: Arms & Armour Press, 2018), 129-132. Sources used |
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Unit Embarkation nominall rolls, 1914-18 War (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM8). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used |
More information 4
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/464885 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/7631362 |
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The AIF Project (UNSW Canberra) https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=297627 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=c4a9cf4e-1c0a-4d28-8c44-00ac8a611be2 |