Thomas Martin Larkin

Submitted by Mt Kembla Minin... on Mon, 19/09/2016 - 13:04

First Name:

Thomas

Middle Name:

Martin

Last Name:

Larkin

Date of Birth:

Tuesday, June 29, 1897

Mother's Name:

Elizabeth Larkin nee Speer

Father's Name:

James Larkin

Date Enlisted:

Thursday, February 10, 1916

Rank at Enlistment:

Private

Rank at Discharge:

Private

Unit:

39th Battalion

Company:

Service:

Infantry

Awards:

British War Medal

Victory Medal

Date of Death:

Saturday, January 24, 1970

Details:

Thomas Larkin (Service No 148) was born in Mount Kembla, N.S.W., however on his First World War enlistment documents, Thomas stated Foxground, N.S.W. as his place of birth. On his Second World War enlistment papers, Thomas stated Mount Kembla which is backed up by his birth records.

Thomas' family moved to Victoria, and at enlistment in Victoria Thomas was single, 18 years old, and employed as a labourer. He embarked from Melbourne on HMAT A11 Ascanius with A Company, 39th Battalion, on 27th May 1916.

The troops arrived in England on 18th July 1916. Thomas was sent to France to join the fighting, arriving on 3rd November 1916. Thomas saw service on the Western Front, surviving the terrible winter of 1916/17.

On 7th June 1917, while proceeding to the front line at Messines the 39th Battalion was decimated by an enemy gas attack. Thomas was one of the wounded and he was evacuated to England for treatment. He was deemed unfit to fight and returned to Australia in August 1917.

Thomas was discharged from the AIF medically unfit on 25th January 1918.

In 1919 he took up land in Victoria as a soldier settler and married Emily Buckland.

Thomass died in 1970 and is buried in Lakes Entrance Cemetery, Victoria.

Sources:

NAA: B2455, LARKIN THOMAS MARTIN