marquette
11-05-14, 02:31
Tom Collis was my grandfather (Bob)'s older brother, the second son of William Richard and Laura Sophia Collis born in early 1890, at Auburn NSW.
When he enlisted at Liverpool, NSW on 26 July 1915, he was 25 and half years old and a carpenter. He was assigned to the 5th reinforcements of the 18th battalion.
He departed Sydney on 5 Oct 1915 on HMAT Thermistocles. He was taken on strength with A company at Tel-al-Kebir in Egypt. At Alexandria, they joined the BEF and embarked for Marseilles, arriving 25.3.1916.
On 10th April 1916 the Battalion was moved into the line, and occupied forward trenches in the Armentieres sector in northern France
On 24 April 1916 he was admitted to hospital with influenza. on 22 May 1916 he was transferred from Boulogne to England with influenza and debility.
On 31 Aug 1916, he was embarked on the hospital Ship Marmara at Southampton and returned to Australia. Given that influenza was often fatal, he was lucky to be able to return to Australia. He was given a Medically Unfit discharge on 15.11.1916.
A short and unhappy war experience.
Tom married in 1926 to Doris Eva Thomas, but unhappily died just two years later on 3 Nov 1928 at a private hospital, aged just 35 years.
When he enlisted at Liverpool, NSW on 26 July 1915, he was 25 and half years old and a carpenter. He was assigned to the 5th reinforcements of the 18th battalion.
He departed Sydney on 5 Oct 1915 on HMAT Thermistocles. He was taken on strength with A company at Tel-al-Kebir in Egypt. At Alexandria, they joined the BEF and embarked for Marseilles, arriving 25.3.1916.
On 10th April 1916 the Battalion was moved into the line, and occupied forward trenches in the Armentieres sector in northern France
On 24 April 1916 he was admitted to hospital with influenza. on 22 May 1916 he was transferred from Boulogne to England with influenza and debility.
On 31 Aug 1916, he was embarked on the hospital Ship Marmara at Southampton and returned to Australia. Given that influenza was often fatal, he was lucky to be able to return to Australia. He was given a Medically Unfit discharge on 15.11.1916.
A short and unhappy war experience.
Tom married in 1926 to Doris Eva Thomas, but unhappily died just two years later on 3 Nov 1928 at a private hospital, aged just 35 years.