Sapper Thomas Beckett

SAPPER THOMAS BECKETT

7781 – 1st Tunnelling Company

Yorkshire, England was the birthplace of Thomas Beckett about 1873. He came to Australia and married in Queensland in 1911 to Elizabeth Boyd Wotherspoon. They were residing in 1913 at Tipperary Point, Mount Morgan, Qld and he was employed by the Mount Morgan Gold Mining Company Ltd as a Labourer.

Thomas volunteered to enlist for service abroad on May 9, 1917 at Rockhampton, Qld. The forty-four year old Labourer passed the medical examination and was sworn in the same day. Attestation Forms were completed which give personal details that his height was 160cms (5ft 3ins), weight 57.2kgs (126lbs) with a chest measurement of 98cms (38¾ins). Complexion was fresh with brown eyes and dark hair. His vision was good. Religion was listed as Church of England and his wife Mrs Elizabeth Boyd Beckett of Gilmour Street, Mount Morgan and shortly afterward at Nicholson Street, North Rockhampton was next-of-kin. He allotted three-fifths of his pay to her.

News of the latest volunteers was reported in the Rockhampton Morning Bulletin on Saturday May 12, 1917:

Basic training began at Miners’ Camp Enoggera, Brisbane commencing on May 23, 1917 and finished on August 8, 1917 when he was sent to their Reinforcements camp at Seymour, Vic until August 18, 1917. From there he was transferred to the Bendigo Camp until November 2 and returned to Seymour on November 20, 1917. He was assigned the regimental number 7781 with the May Reinforcements to the Tunnelling Companies and the rank of Sapper. The Reinforcements spent the night at Broadmeadows Camp, Melbourne, Vic. before departing for Europe.

The troopship HMAT A71 Nestor departed Port Melbourne, Vic on November 21, 1917 with 168 May Reinforcements on board. The voyage of twenty-five days duration terminated at the Suez on December 15, 1917 and the men disembarked going to the Australian Infantry Camp, Suez the same day.

They entrained for Alexandria on January 4, 1918 and marched into the Australian Camp Gabbary, Alexandria on January 5. On 8 January embarked on Transport E620 Abbasiah, disembarking at Taranto, Italy on 18 January. The troops undertook the weeklong train travel from Taranto to Cherbourg, France, and to then cross the channel at Southampton, England arriving on January 24, 1918. The men went to No 3 Camp Details at Parkhouse for further training.

In preparation for English camp he made out a Will which was sent to Base Records on January 12, 1918.

The Roll of Honour Board listing the names of employees of the Mount Morgan Gold Mining Company Ltd was publicly displayed on December 5. 1917. The name of T. Beckett appears on the Board as he was an employee with the company on enlistment.

On March 2, 1918 they proceeded to France via Southampton marching in to the Aust. General Base Depot at Rouelles then to the Aust. Corps Depot on March 8. Sapper Beckett was assigned to the 1st Tunnelling Company three days later and was taken on strength on March 27, 1918.

He was taken to hospital sick on September 14 but rejoined his unit the next day.

Three days after the Armistice was declared Sapper Beckett was detached for duty to the 9th Corps Reception Camp and returned to his unit on January 4, 1919.

He took leave from France to the UK on February 2 and returned on February 14, 1919. His unit remained in France to assist with rehabilitation of the district until recalled to prepare to return to the UK on April 3, 1919. They marched out from the A.I.B.D. a week later and the following day disembarked at Southampton and went to the No 2 Command Depot at Weymouth.

Sapper Beckett departed England on May 3, 1919 aboard the HT Leicestershire for home. His next-of-kin was advised of his impending return on May 28, 1919.

In the Rockhampton Morning Bulletin on Monday June 23, 1919 his wife had also received news via a letter from Mrs Wheeler who was co-ordinating the Central Queensland Fund in London and sent weekly news of soldiers she had been in contact with.

He disembarked in Melbourne, Vic (3rd Military District) on June 21, 1919 and returned to Brisbane, Qld.

His Military Discharge took place in Brisbane (1st M.D.) on July 16, 1919.

The Will from Base Records was forwarded to the 1st M.D. on October 24, 1919.

For his service abroad Sapper 7781 Thomas Beckett, 1st Tunnelling Company received the British War Medal (32366) and the Victory Medal (30407).

When Thomas returned they continued to live at Black Street, Mount Morgan from 1919 until around 1937.

A Statement of his Service was forwarded to the Repatriation Department in Brisbane on October 16, 1950.