The AIF Project

Thomas Joseph McKENNA

Regimental number1541
Place of birthAdelaide, South Australia
ReligionRoman Catholic
OccupationLabourer
AddressNorth Adelaide, South Australia
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation32
Height5' 7.75"
Weight158 lbs
Next of kinUncle, John Quirke, Gibson Street, North Adelaide, South Australia
Previous military serviceNil
Enlistment date12 July 1915
Place of enlistmentKeswick, South Australia
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name32nd Battalion, 1st Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/49/2
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Adelaide, South Australia, on board HMAT A2 Geelong on 18 November 1915
Regimental number from Nominal Roll1541A
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll32nd Battalion
FateReturned to Australia 28 February 1919
Discharge date5 June 1919
Other details

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Embarked Adelaide, 18 November 1915; disembarked Suez, 18 December 1915.

Admitted to No 1 Australian Stationary Hospital, Ismailia, 31 January 1916 (hernia); transferred to No 4 Ambulance Train, 2 February 1916; to No 2 Australian General Hospital, Ghezireh, 2 February 1916; to No 1 Auxiliary Hospital, Heliopolis, 23 February 1916; to Helouan Convalescent Depot, 28 February 1916.

Taken on strength of "A" Company, Tel el Kebir, 3 March 1916.

Found guilty, 16 March 1916, of (1) being absent without leave; (2) being under the influence of liquor in Helouan at 2030 hours; (3) creating a disturbance in a public bar in Helouan; (4) using obscene language to Military Police: awarded 7 days' confined to barracks and deprived of 4 days' pay.

To Overseas Base, 21 March 1916.

Marched into Zeitoun and posted to 8th Training Bn, 23 March 1916.

Proceeded to join 32nd Bn, 1 April 1916; rejoined 32nd Bn, Duntroon Plateau, 2 April 1916.

Admitted to No 15 Field Ambulance, Ferry Post, 12 May 1916 (old scar, right side of abdomen); rejoined unit, 14 May 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 17 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 23 June 1916.

Wounded in action, 19 July 1916; admitted to No 8 Casualty Clearing Station, 20 July 1916 (shell shock); transferred to No 17 Ambulance Train, 21 July 1916; to No 2 Canadian Stationary Hospital, Outreau, 21 July 1916; to England, 22 July 1916; to Military Hospital, Chatham, 23 July 1916 (shrapnel wound, left arm); to Australian Convalescent Depot, Woodcote, 29 July 1916 (shrapnel wound, left arm and shoulder); to No 1 Command Depot, Perham Downs, 22 September 1916.

Marched into 8th Training Bn, 9 October 1916.

Proceeded overseas to France, 21 October 1916; marched into 5th Australian Divisional Base Depot, Etaples, 23 October 1916.

Marched out to unit, 4 November 1916; rejoined 32nd Bn, 7 November 1916.

Admitted to 14th Corps Rest Station, 27 November 1916 (not yet diagnosed); transferred to No 21 Casualty Clearing Station, 30 November 1916 (muscular rheumatism); to No 7 British Red Cross Hospital, Etaples, 1 December 1916; to England, 30 December 1916; to Military Hospital, Edmonton, 31 December 1916; discharged to furlough, 4 January 1917 (to report to No 1 Command Depot, Perham Downs, 19 January 1917).

Admitted to No 1 Australian Dermatological Hospital, Bulford, 13 January 1917 (venereal disease); transferred to Military Hospital, Parkhouse, 7 February 1917; discharged, 30 March 1917; marched into No 1 Command Depot, Perham Downs, 31 March 1917, and classified B.1.A.; total period of treatment for venereal disease: 77 days.

Transferred to 70th Bn, Wareham, 2 April 1917, and taken on strength the same day.

Admitted to Brigade Hospital, Windmill Hill, 29 May 1917 (herpes); discharged, 2 June 1917.

Transferred to 32nd Bn, 19 September 1917, and marched out to 69th Draft Bn the same day.

Proceeded overseas to France from 8th Training Bn, 14 October 1917; marched into 5th Australian Divisional Base Depot, Le Havre, 15 October 1917.

Marched out to unit, 18 October 1917; rejoined 32nd Bn, 26 October 1917.

Admitted to No 8 Australian Field Ambulance, 2 November 1917, and transferred to 5th Divisional Rest Station the same day (rheumatism); to No 2 Canadian Clearing Station, 9 November 1917 (not yet diagnosed); to No 16 Ambulance Train, 10 November 1917; to No 39 General Hospital, Le Havre, 13 November 1917 (myalgia); discharged and marched into 5th Australian Divisional Base Depot, 18 November 1917.

Marched out to unit, 21 November 1917; rejoined 32nd Bn, 29 November 1917.

Admitted to 5th Divisional Rest Station, 20 February 1918 (diarrhoea); transferred to No 2 Australian Casualty Clearing Station, 4 March 1918 (chronic rheumatism); to No 34 Ambulance Train, 5 March 1918; to No 26 General Hospital, Etaples, 5 March 1918 (myalgia); to England, 11 March 1918; to Brook War Hospital, Woolwich, 11 March 1918; to No 3 Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Dartford, 28 March 1918; marched into No 3 Command Depot, Hurdcott, 1 May 1918.

Posted as abesent without leave, 23 May 1918; declared illegal absentee, 15 June 1918; returned, 13 July 1918.

Admitted to Group Hospital, Hurdcott, 23 July 1918 (influenza); marched into No 3 Command Depot, Hurdcott, 30 July 1918.

Tried by District Court Martial, 31 July 1918, on the charge of being absent without leave from 23 May 1918, until apprehended at Kingstown, Ireland, 11 July 1918: found guilty and sentenced to 1 day's detention and a total forfeiture of 27 days' pay.

Marched into No 1 Command Depot, Sutton Veny, 6 September 1918 (Class B.1.A.3).

Marched into Overseas Training Bde, Longbridge Deverill, 4 October 1918.

Proceeded overseas to France, 30 October 1918; marched into Australian Intermediate Base Depot, Le Havre, 31 October 1918.

Marched out to unit, 2 November 1918; rejoined 32 Bn, 4 November 1918.

Detached to Corps Workshops, 22 December 1918.

Proceeded to England, 27 January 1919; marched into 1st Training Bde, England, 11 February 1919.

Commenced return to Australia from Devonport on board HT 'Anchises', 28 February 1919; disembarked Adelaide, 11 April 1919; discharged Adelaide, 5 June 1919.

Total war service: 3 years 329 days (of which 3 years 147 days were abroad).

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Date of death16 June 1937
SourcesNAA: B2455, McKENNA Thomas Joseph

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