29/09/1914- Completed Medical Examination Geraldton WA & Allotted to 11th Battalion 3rd Reinforcements as Private
1/01/1915- To No. 1 Depot Company as CORPORAL
18/02/1915- To 11th Battalion 3rd Reinforcements Blackboy Hill WA
17/03/1915- To Overseas Training Base Depot Egypt
7/05/1915- Joined 11th Battalion ” B ” Company in the field Gallipoli
6/08/1915- Wounded in Action Gallipoli ( Gunshot Wound Left Arm- Compound Fracture Humerus )
6/08/1915- Admitted 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station Gallipoli
12/08/1915- Evacuated/Admitted 2nd Australian General Hospital Ghezireh Egypt ex Hospital Ship ex Gallipoli
5/10/1915- Transferred/Admitted 2nd Convalescent Hospital Mena House Cairo Egypt
16/10/1915- Discharged to Duty Overseas Base Camp Zeitoun Egypt
19/10/1915- Admitted Australian General Hospital Abbassia Egypt ( Sickness )
30/12/1915- Discharged to Duty Overseas Base Camp Ghezireh Egypt ex Sickness
14/02/1916- Admitted No. 2 Australian General Hospital Ghezireh ( Pthisis )
15/02/1916- Admitted No. 3 Aux Hospital Heliopolis Egypt ( Bronchitis )
15/03/1916- Rejoined Battalion in the field Serapeum Egypt
5/04/1916- Disembarked Marseilles France ex Alexandria Egypt
12/04/1916- Rejoined 11th Battalion in the field France ex Base Depot
17/08/1916- To 1st Australian Division Base Depot Etaples France ex Anzac Base Moussot France
3/09/1916- Attached to 1st Australian Divisional Train Headquarters in the field France
18/11/1916- Rejoined 11th Battalion in the field France ex Detachment
13/12/1916- To 1st Division Ordnance in the field France
5/08/1917- Medical Board Report ” Classified Unfit for General Service ”
25/09/1917- To AIF Headquarters London then to N0. 2 Command Depot Weymouth England for Return to Australia
19/10/1917- Embarked England for Australia per ” Port Lyttleton ”
5/12/1917- Disembarked Fremantle
28/12/1917- Discharged from Service ( Medically Unfit )
Service Medals Awarded
1914/15 Star – No. 280
British War Medal – No. 2303
Victory Medal – No. 2300
Thomas William McNAMARA is mentioned at pages 74, 82, 83, 136, 137, 138, 139 of the Publication GAME TO THE LAST, The 11th Australian Infantry Battalion at Gallipoli, by James Hurst.
He was employed as a Hairdresser in COLLIE, WA prior to enlistment, however when you read his reports from Gallipoli, he was an unbelievably talented writer. Extracts from his written reports follow for your information:-
Description of an Anzac morning at that time- ” The soft warm sun of early morning dispersing the mists around Imbros…and casting a glistening sheen on the glass smooth waters of the Aegean Sea. The brightly coloured hospital ship…rides serenely at anchor…two destroyers are making a leisurely inspection. Farther out the sun’s rays pick out the transports, and the warships “.
Report on Gallipoli Action- ” The first shell of the morning bursts with a crash and a whine of shrapnel, whilst the white acrid fumes float away on the morning breeze like a fleece of freshly scoured wool, and the smell of wild Thyme and dead men is borne on the air “.
Effects of enemy shelling on a fatigue party with orders to carry ammunition to the line- ” Without pause, for what seemed an eternity but was really only the space of about five minutes, the shells- one, two, three, four; one, two, three, four- exploded with deadly accuracy. The air became thick with clouds of choking smoke to which was added the dust churned by the spattering bullets. Nose caps and shell- cases struck the ground with sickening thuds to rebound aimlessly into the air and then fall back to rest… The men at the head of the column got through safely and those at the gully-mouth sought cover under low cliffs. As to the remainder, most, alas, lay across or near the boxes they were bearing, some tossing or writhing in agony, others perfectly still in the grotesque, huddled attitudes common to those who are violently blasted to death “.