Thomas Ramsell

Personal Information
Date of Birth	unknown
Place of Birth	Kings Lynn, Norfolk, England
Death	17 Mar 1969, aged 81
Place of Death	North Beach, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	29 years old
Description	5'7" (1.70m) tall; weight 140 lbs (63.5 kg); dark complexion, blue eyes, black hair.
Occupation	baker
Religion	Church of England
Address	Armadale, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Mother Mrs M. E. Ramsell
Military Information
Reg Number	2383
Date of Enlistment	13 Jun 1916
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	43rd Battalion, 4th Reinforcements / 11th Brigade, 3rd Division
Date of Embarkation	30 Oct 1916 - 28 Dec 1916
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A16 Port Melbourne
Date of Return	31 May 1919 - 12 Jul 1919
Ship Returned On	HMAT A60 Aeneas
Fate	Wounded in Action 3 Jul 1917 at Messines Returned to Australia
Monument	Armadale (West Armadale panel)
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

A widower with one child when he enlisted.

War Service

Initial allocation was to 7th Reinforcement draft for the 51st Battalion, changed to 43rd Battalion on 5 Sep 1916.

On arrival in England Tom was posted to the 11th Training Battalion at Durrington, and on the completion of his training travelled to France on the HMPS Golden Eagle from Folkestone on 25 Feb 1917.

Joined the 43rd Battalion on 3 Mar 1917 in the line at Armentiès. On the day that he was wounded at Messines, the Unit War Diary reports active enemy artillery, snipers and machine gun fire. Tom received a GSW to the thigh which was treated at the 9th Field Ambulance, the 11th Casualty Clearing Station and the 8th Stationary Hospital in Wimereux before, on 13 Jul 1917 he was embarked for England on the HMHS St Denis from Boulogne.

On arrival in England he was admitted to the Military Hospital in Fulham, and it was 3 months before, on 14 Oct 1917, he embarked again for France, rejoining his unit on the 23rd at Avroult west of Armentiès in France where they were rebuilding after a period in the front line.

In Mar 1918 he enjoyed some leave in England and in both Jun and Aug 1918 he spent a week or two in hospital due to illness. Tom remained with his unit other than another leave break in Feb 1919, and a period in hospital in Apr 1919 with complications from his earlier wound. He returned to Australia in May 1919.

Discharged 5th Military District 2 Sep 1919

..."sailed with the 4th reinforcements of the 34th Battalion on 30 Oct 1916..." This is an error as his battalion was the 43rd.

Post War

Married Lillian Beatrice Eva Fowler in Canning district in 1923. She died 30 Nov 1973 aged 76. Son Keith E Ramsell born 1924, and Barbara I Ramsell born 1932.

Electoral Roll entries - 1923 - 25 a farmer at "Tuney" on Ninth avenue, Armadale; 1931 - 1949 at 213 Loftus street, Balkatta a pastrycook; 1954 retired at Folewood road, Toodyay; 1958 - 1963 at 22 Kitchener street, North Beach; 1968 street number changed to 36 Kitchener street, North Beach, with Lillian still there in 1972.