O'Neill, Thomas

5393 Sapper Thomas O'Neill - 2nd Australian Tunnelling Company

Thomas O'Neill was born in Newcastle New South Wales in 1891 to John and Jane O'Neill.  He had five siblings, Mary (1867), Alice (1872), Agnes (1877), Sarah (1886) and John (1892).

 The family soon came over to Western Australia in the early 1900's and set up residence in Kalgoorlie. John's mother Jane died in Kalgoorlie in 1906, after which John moved to Fremantle, living at 84 East Street East Fremantle (later renumbered 56 East St).

Tom was working as a fitter and turner, having previously completed an apprenticeship in this trade.

On the 24th February 1916 Tom enlisted into the AIF. The medical officer passed him as fit for service and recorded his physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 11 inches tall;

Weight - 159lbs;

Chest Measurement - 36 inches;

Complexion - Fair;

Eyes - Blue;

Hair  - Red.

Upon his successful enlistment, Tom was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp. His brother John, enlisted at the same time. After initially being sent to the Engineers Reinforcement Depot, John and Tom were transferred to the Tunnelling Company Reinforcements and was sent across to Victoria to complete their training. The Tunnellers would train at Seymour Army Camp. This training took place over the next few months.

On the 30th September 1916 John and Tom left Port Melbourne aboard the transport ship HMAT Suffolk and set sail via WA for England. After the long sea voyage the ship arrived at Plymouth England on the 2nd December 1917.

The men were then disembarked and sent to the Tunnellers Reinforcement Camp. Tom spent the next few weeks here and on the 1st January 1917 was sent across to France. After ten days in the Base Depot Camp, Tom was sent to join the 1st Anzac Entrenching Battalion.

Tom spent over two months with this unit and on the 21st March 1917 was officially taken on strength of the 2nd Australian Tunnelling Company.

The tunnelling units were occupied in offensive and defensive mining involving the placing and maintaining of mines under enemy lines, as well as other underground work such as the construction of deep dugouts for troop accommodation, the digging of subways, saps (a narrow trench dug to approach enemy trenches), cable trenches and underground chambers for signals and medical services.

When Tom had joined them the 2nd Company were at Hill 60 near Ypres and they also provided supporting operations for the Messines offensive in June 1917. From July 1917 to early 1918 the 2nd Tunnelling Company was based at Nieuport on the Belgian coast. They had been moved there to help provide the British infantry with better dugouts and defences.

On the 10th July 1917, Tom and his brother John, with a party of other Tunnellers and infantry were underground improving the dugouts and tunnels when a German barrage fell on the position, with part of the tunnel collapsing. When they dug themselves out and came back to the surface, to their surprise they found the Germans in possession of the trenches. The O'Neill brothers and other tunnellers tried to escape but coming to a canal were unable to cross it and being unarmed and surrounded by Germans they had to surrender. Both John and Tom O'Neill were taken prisoners of War.

They were in Germany until the end of the war. When the Armistice was signed the Prisoners of War were returned to England. He arrived in England on the 30th December 1918. Upon arriving and reporting to AIF HQ, Tom was given a months leave.

On the 3rd February 1919 Tom reported into No.1 Command Depot Camp at Sutton Veny. He would wait here while waiting to be assigned a berth on a troopship home.

On the 3rd March 1919 Tom boarded the transport ship Euripides and set sail for home, reaching Fremantle on the 10th April 1919. Tom was then discharged from the AIF on the 27th May 1919.

Thomas was working as an engine fitter after the war and was initially residing at 58 King Street East Fremantle and in the 1930's moved to 18 South Terrace for a time before moving to the Fremantle Hotel at 18 High Street (now 6 High St).

Thomas died in Perth on the 25th May 1964 aged 73. He was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery.