Thomas Edward Parkinson

Submitted by Mt Kembla Minin... on Sun, 14/01/2018 - 13:42

First Name:

Thomas

Middle Name:

Edward

Last Name:

Parkinson

Date Enlisted:

Tuesday, January 18, 1916

Rank at Enlistment:

Private

Rank at Discharge:

Warrant Officer

Unit:

3rd Pioneer

Company:

Service:

Infantry

Awards:

British War Medal

Victory Medal

Date of Death:

Monday, September 19, 1921

Place of Death:

Mount Mulligan, Qld

Cause of Death:

Mine Accident

Details:

Thomas Edward Parkinson (Service No 516) was born in Durham, England around October 1886.

In 1906 he married Margaret Joyce. Thomas and Margaret came to Australia and were living in Corrimal, N.S.W., when their second son was born in 1911.

At enlistment he was 30 years old, worked as a miner and lived in Corrimal, N.S.W.

Thomas embarked from Melbourne on HMAT A62 Wandilla with the 3rd Pioneer Battalion, B Company, on 16th June 1916. He disembarked in England on 26th July 1916 and joined his unit in France on 24th November 1916. Thomas saw service on the Western Front and has no wounding on file.

He was promoted to Lance Corporal on 8th July 1917 and then to Corporal on 25th May 1918. On 30th August 1918, soon after being promoted to Warrant Officer, he became the Company Quartermaster. Thomas returned to Australia in May 1919 and was discharged on 29th July 1919. The family left Corrimal and went to Mount Mulligan, Qld, where he worked in the mine.

On 19th September 1919, there was a mine disaster, the worst in Queensland's history. Thomas Parkinson and 74 men were killed.

Thomas is buried in Queensland.

Sources:

NAA: B2455, PARKINSON THOMAS EDWARD