Thomas Walker
Name: Thomas James Walker
Rank: Driver
Service Number: 6400
Unit Served: 25th Battalion
Personal Details:
Thomas Walker was an indigenous soldier. He was born in Sydney and lived on Ulgandahi Island in NSW. His parents were Thomas and Susan. Thomas had a wife, Lily, and two children, Jean and Edward.
Enlistment Details: Thomas enlisted on the 29th of September 1916 in Grafton, NSW. He was 26 year and 2 months old at the time, 5’8” tall, with a dark complexion, grey eyes and black hair. Thomas was a member of the 18th Reinforcements of the 25th Battalion of the Australian Imperial Forces (AIF).
Details about his role in War: On the 23rd of December 1916 he left Sydney on the ship “Demosthenes”. He arrived in Plymouth, UK on the 3rd of March 1917 and marched into the 7th Training Battalion Camp at Rollestone. On the 23rd of April 1917, he left camp without leave and was awarded 1 day Confined to Camp and a total of 3 days’ pay forfeited for absence without leave. On the 14th of June he left England for France and on the 7th of July 1917 he was taken on strength by the 25th Battalion, joining the unit while it was based near Bapaume. He along with the rest of the 25th spent July training in activities such as “deploying and attacking over a distance in darkness”. 1 In August the battalion continued to train but some men were detailed to help French farmers with their harvest, as most young fit Frenchmen were fighting elsewhere in the country. During September the battalion made its way north from France into Belgium and took part in the Battle of Menin Road on the 20th and 21st of that month. From October most of the winter was spent moving between billets near Steenvoorde, and the front lines near Zonnebeke, and then further south near Messines. Late Winter and early Spring of 1918 was spent behind the lines with further training and sporting activities. In April the Germans launched Operation George in an attempt to overwhelm the Allied forces in Belgium but this came to no avail. The 25th Battalion was moving between frontlines, reserve lines and rear lines during this attack before moving south to the Somme region. The battalion continued to move in and out of the front lines in the area near Amiens during May and June. On the 4th July the battalion took part in the Battle of Hamel, during which the Australian forces used infantry, tanks and aircraft in a synchronised attack which was highly successful. The battalion continued to rotate front line duties near Villers Bretonneux. On the 26th of July 1918, he was appointed driver in the battalion. On the 8th of August, the 25th was involved in the Battle of Amiens, a huge push by British, Canadian and Australian troops led by General Monash. This was seen as the “Black Day” for the German Army and was the beginning of the 100 days to victory by the Allied forces. On the 9th of August the battalion captured Vauvillers and pushed its attack further on the 10th until halted by heavy resistance from German forces. On the 11th of August 1918 Thomas was killed during a bombing raid. His service record states that “…he was killed by an enemy bomb on the 11.8.18 during a bombing raid by enemy aeroplanes whilst the Battalion was in the forward areas in the vicinity of Bayonvillers”.2 He was originally buried in the Bayonvillers Cemetery, but his remains were moved and reburied in Heath Cemetery sometime after the war.
Age at Death: 26
Memorial Details: HEATH CEMETERY, HARBONNIERES
Grave/memorial reference: IV.G.9
