Name
Thomas George Thorogood
1885
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
06/08/1916
28(*1)
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
3288
Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
28th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
VILLERS-BRETONNEUX MEMORIAL
France
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (Book), Hitchin
Pre War
Thomas was born in 1885 in Hitchin and his parents were George and Sarah Thorogood (née Bennett) who had married in 1874.
In 1891 the family were living at 26 Ickleford Road, Hitchin, which remained their address in all the records below.. Present were both parents: George (51) and Sarah (40), with George working as a farm labourer. Their children were: Mary (13), Emily (11), Annie (9), Elizabeth (7), Thomas George (6), John (3) and twins Rose and Charles, who were 11 months. Sarah’s sister Mary Bennett (35) was also present.
In 1901 the family were both parents, George working as an agricultural farm labourer. The children now present were Annie, Thomas, now 16 and working as a railway engine cleaner, John, Rose, Nellie (9) and Alice (5).
By 1911 Thomas was absent and may already have emigrated to Australia. The remaining family were still at the same address, with George now recorded as 71 and a retired agricultural labourer pensioner. The census recorded they had been married for 35 years with 13 children, of whom 4 had died.
Thomas’s father died in 1913 leaving his mother a widow and by 1915 Thomas was certainly in Australia.
He enlisted Blackboy Hill, Western Australia on 13 August 1915. His enlistment papers confirmed that he was born in Hitchin and was 31 years old and working as a farm labourer. His father had died and his next of kin was his mother, Sarah, of 26 Ickleford Road, Hitchin. He was also described as 5’ 11 ½” tall, 172 lbs, with brown hair, blues eyes and a fair complexion.
Wartime Service
Thomas has an entry in the National Roll of the Great War – these were normally placed by family members using what they knew and are not always 100% correct and this appears to be the case for Thomas. It suggests that volunteered in 1914, but we know that he enlisted in August 1915, so it is unlikely that he volunteered in 1914. The entry suggests that he fought in the Battles of The Somme, Arras, Lens. Loos and “many others”. However, we know that he only landed in Marseilles on 27 February 1916 and reported sick on 16 July, only returning to his unit 2 August and died between the 4th and 6th, so it is not likely that he could have fought in all the battles mentioned.
What can be sure of is as follows.
Thomas was given the Regimental Number 3288 and served in the 28th (Western Australia) Battalion.
He joined the 7th Reinforcements. 28th Battalion on 1 November 1915.
Before leaving Australia, while in Blackboy Hill, he was charged with absent without leave from afternoon parade on 10 December until reveille parade on 13 December 1915 and was fined 2s 6d and forfeited 3 days’ pay. They went to Perth where he was again absent without leave from 7 am to 10pm on 26 October 1915, this time he was fined 5s and forfeited 2 days’ pay. They embarked on H.M.T.S Medic from Fremantle on 18 January 1916 and he was in trouble again on 29 January when he left the troopship (TS Medic) without permission , forfeiting 2 days’ pay.
He first went to Alexandria, landing on 16 February 1916. He left there on the 31st March, landed in Marseilles on the 27th and was taken on to strength on 9 June 1916, presumably after training.
By 16 July 1916 he was reported as sick and in hospital, returning to duty but then back to hospital on the 19th. He was admitted to No. New Zealand Stationary Hospital (Amiens?) with a hernia on the 20th, transferred by No 21 Ambulance Train and on the 27th admitted to 18 General Hospital in Etaples. It is not clear whether he was operated on but was transferred to his unit on 31 July 1916 and back to duty on August 2nd and was killed in action between the 4th and 6th – officially 6 August 1916. This was probably in the Battle of Pozieres as part of the 1st Anzac Corps.
The 28th (Western Australia) Battalion was part of the 7th Australian Brigade, 2nd Australian Division, 1st Anzac Corps of the Reserve Army. His death probably followed the attacks on Pozieres in the area of Mouquet Farm (Mucky Farm) which was a German strongpoint halfway between Pozieres and Thiepval.
He has no known grave and is remembered on the Villiers Bretonneux Memorial to the Missing at Fouilloy in France.
Additional Information
His mother made a claim and was awarded £2 a fortnight from 5 October 1916. She received his medals and later his memorial plaque.
*1 We believe the age gives in the CWGC is incorrect and that he was 31 or 32..
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
