Thomas Hesketh

Australia's Fighting Sons of the Empire p.31
Personal Information
Date of Birth	unknown
Place of Birth	Brunswick, Victoria
Death	24 Aug 1918, aged 43
Place of Death	near Villers-Bretonneux, France
Age at Enlistment	41 years, 1 month
Description	5'10" (1.78m) tall; weight 152 lbs (68.9 kg); ruddy complexion, blue eyes, brown hair
Occupation	horse driver
Religion	Church of England
Address	Beenup, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father Mr Joseph Hesketh
Military Information
Reg Number	1839
Date of Enlistment	1 May 1916
Rank	Lance Corporal
Unit/Formation	44th Battalion, 2nd Reinforcement transferred to 33rd Battalion Pioneer Platoon / 9th Brigade, 3rd Division
Date of Embarkation	7 Aug 1916 - 25 Sep 1916
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A28 Miltiades
Fate	Killed in Action 24 Aug 1918 near Villers-Bretonneux
Monument	Armadale (Beenup panel)
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

War Service

On arrival in England was sent to the 11th Training Battalion at Lark Hill before he joined the 33rd Battalion near Amesbury in England on 14 Nov 1916. This was before the battalion proceeded to France on the 21 Nov 1916 aboard the HMPS Mona's Queen from Southampton.

On 19 Jun 1917 he was appointed Lance Corporal. Six months later he was able to return to England for a fortnight's leave (5 - 19 Jan 1918).

Returning from leave he was admitted to the 10th Australian Field Ambulance with pyrexia, forwarded to the 11th Australian Field Ambulance, and then the 53rd Casualty Clearing Station where it was decided to return him to England from Boulogne on 16 Feb 1918 aboard the HS Jan Breydel.

Arriving in England he was admitted to the Colchester Military Hospital. When recovered, he was granted leave before returning to France on 11 May 1918. After time in the Base Depot, he rejoined the 33rd Battalion on 18 Jun 1918 at Villers-Bretonneux.

The 33rd Battalion War Diary entry for 24 Aug 1918 reads

"Sailly-le-Sec Men slept nearly all morning and went for a swim in the Somme in the afternoon. This freshened them up considerably. The canteen also had a good stock in and they were able to get a few luxuries. Bosche planes over in force at night. One bomb dropped on H.Q. details, killed 2 pioneers and wounded 3."

1917 Feb-Mar edition. Suggested that he enlisted in Dec 1915. No evidence of this claim found.

Notes

The three Hesketh Brothers all served with the A.I.F. While their Father lived in Beenup, the only brother to claim a link to the district was Thomas, who was KIA 24 Aug 1918 near Villers-Bretonneux. Joseph was KIA at Vaux on 8 Sep 1918, while William , although wounded at Gallipoli on 12 May 1915 and at Glencross Wood on 20 Sep 1917, recovered to return to Australia in February 1918.

Hesketh avenue in Armadale named after Thomas or perhaps the family as a whole. h