Pte
Thomas Emlyn Rees
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1883 |
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Place of birth: Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia |
General information
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Last known residence: Colliery Street, Cessnock, New South Wales, Australia |
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Profession: Miner |
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Religion: Congregationalist |
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: 191 |
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Enlistment date: 11/12/1915 |
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Enlistment place: Maitland, New South Wales, Australia |
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Units: — Australian Infantry, 35th Bn. (Newcastle's Own Regiment) (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 12/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Hamburg, Passendale, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 34 |
Cemetery
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Tyne Cot Cemetery Plot: LIII Row: B Grave: 8 |
Points of interest 4
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Last known residence | ||
| #3 | Enlistment place | ||
| #4 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Thomas Emlyn Rees was the son of James and Marie Rees. He was born around 1883 in Newcastle New South Wales. He worked as a miner. Thomas enlisted in the Australian Army and was a part of the 35th Battalion Australian Infantry Regiment (9th Brigade, 3rd Division).
Thomas died on 12 October 1917 during the First Battle of Passchendaele, part of the Battle of Passchendaele. The starting lines of the attack on Passchendaele were near Keerselaarhoek. At 5.25 a.m., the starting signal for the attack was given. The 35th Battalion advanced in support of the 34th Battalion. They managed to capture Hillside Farm and Augustus Wood, thus reaching their first objectives. After a temporary delay due to machine gun fire, they managed to advance further. The consolidation lasted until around 3 p.m. The battalion was then forced to retreat to the vicinity of Augustus Wood. The attack ended about 300 yards beyond the original starting lines.
Thomas died at the age of 34. According to a witness, he was in a shell hole. He was hit in the abdomen as he tried to move to the witness' location a few metres away. They pulled him into the grenade funnel and removed his equipment. After about 15 minutes and after he drank some water, he left towards a dressing station. What happened to him after that is uncertain. However, another witness reported seeing Thomas hit in the head. He died immediately and was buried in the field. After the war, his body was recovered near Hamburg. He was reburied at Tyne Cot Cemetery, where he found his final resting place.
Thomas died on 12 October 1917 during the First Battle of Passchendaele, part of the Battle of Passchendaele. The starting lines of the attack on Passchendaele were near Keerselaarhoek. At 5.25 a.m., the starting signal for the attack was given. The 35th Battalion advanced in support of the 34th Battalion. They managed to capture Hillside Farm and Augustus Wood, thus reaching their first objectives. After a temporary delay due to machine gun fire, they managed to advance further. The consolidation lasted until around 3 p.m. The battalion was then forced to retreat to the vicinity of Augustus Wood. The attack ended about 300 yards beyond the original starting lines.
Thomas died at the age of 34. According to a witness, he was in a shell hole. He was hit in the abdomen as he tried to move to the witness' location a few metres away. They pulled him into the grenade funnel and removed his equipment. After about 15 minutes and after he drank some water, he left towards a dressing station. What happened to him after that is uncertain. However, another witness reported seeing Thomas hit in the head. He died immediately and was buried in the field. After the war, his body was recovered near Hamburg. He was reburied at Tyne Cot Cemetery, where he found his final resting place.
Sources 5
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35th Australian Infantry Battalion, (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM4 23/52/4). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used |
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Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920 (National Archives of Australia, Canberra (NAA), B2455 REES T E). https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/ Sources used |
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Australian Red Cross Wounded and Missing Enquiry Bureau (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), RCDIG1056312). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used |
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McCarthy, Chris. Passchendaele: The Day by Day Account (Londen: Arms & Armour Press, 1995), 129. Sources used |
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Unit embarkation nominal 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/464391 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=f11b7e1f-8bbf-46c2-ba19-23893099ef59 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/7558530 |
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The AIF Project (UNSW Canberra) https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=251593 |