Fellowes, Thomas

No.4789 – Private Thomas Fellowes – 11^th Battalion AIF

Thomas Fellowes was born in Mt Perry Queensland on the 15^th November 1873 to Thomas and Margaret Fellowes. He was educated at the local state school and was a member of the Charters Towers Cadets. He began work in the railways and this work eventually brought him to Western Australia.

Thomas appears to have spent the majority of his time based in Fremantle while working for the WA Railways. On December 29^th 1915 while in Southern Cross he enlisted into the AIF. The medical examiner found Thomas to be 42 years old; 5 feet 7 inches in height; weight of 149 lbs; chest measurement of 35-37 inches; fair complexion; blue eyes and dark brown hair. His religious denomination was Roman Catholic.

Thomas spent a short time in No.39 Depot and was then assigned to the 15^th Reinforcements to the 11^th Battalion AIF. He trained with this group until the end of March 1916. On the 1^st April he boarded the transport ship H.M.A.T. “Ulysses” in Fremantle Harbour and they sailed off for Egypt where they arrived on the 25^th April 1916. Upon arrival in Alexandria he was admitted to No.2 General Hospital with Enteric and was released soon after but on the 4^th May he was admitted to No.3 Auxiliary Hospital with Influenza.

Thomas was marked down for transfer from the 11^th Battalion reinforcements to the 51^st Battalion however he never joined this unit as he spent the next two months in hospital. On the 3^rd June 1916 he was diagnosed with pulmonary TB at No.2 Australian Stationary Hospital. He was then transferred to No.3 Australian General Hospital at Abbassia where he was also diagnosed with Phthisis.  Thomas’s conditions showed that he was no longer fit for active service and he was marked down for return to Australia. On the 5^th July 1916 he boarded the Hospital Ship “Karoola” and arrived back in Fremantle on the 28^th July.

Thomas had contracted Malaria ten years previously and with his constitution being aggravated by active service he was returned home. On arrival in Fremantle he was admitted to No.8 Australian General Hospital in South Terrace and then to No.18 Auxiliary Hospital in Perth.

Unfortunately Thomas’s condition continued to deteriorate and he died on the 6^th January 1917. He was given a full military funeral when he was buried in Karrakatta Cemetery, with the military escort provided by members of the 24^th Reinforcements to the 16^th Battalion. He was 43 years old when he died.