Kiernan, Thomas
2260 Private Thomas Kiernan - 11th Battalion AIF
Thomas Kiernan was born on the 5th February 1883 to Edward and Mary in Kilfinane Limerick Ireland, being one of 10 siblings born into the family.
He moved to WA in the 1900's and began working in Fremantle Harbour as a Lumper, residing at 96 Alexander Road South Fremantle. (later renamed to Wray Avenue)
On the 8th March 1915, Thomas enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was accepted as fit for service, with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 7 & 1/2 inches tall;
Weight - 140lbs;
Chest Measurement - 35-37 inches;
Complexion - Fair;
Eyes - Brown;
Hair - Brown;
Distinctive Marks - Tattoos on both arms.
After his successful enlistment, Thomas was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to No.12 Depot Training Company. He spent a month with this group being taken through the basics of infantry work. He was then transferred to "D" Company of the newly forming 28th Battalion AIF. However he was then transferred to the 6th Reinforcements to the 11th Battalion AIF.
He trained with this group in WA for the next two months but on the 6th June 1916 entrained to Fremantle Harbour where he boarded the transport ship HMAT Geelong. The ship then set sail for Egypt, reaching there later in the month. He then had around four weeks in Egypt before he was sent to Gallipoli.
On the 31st July 1915 Thomas boarded the transport ship HMAT Berrima and set sail for Gallipoli. He was taken on strength of the 11th Battalion on the 4th August 1915. He joined them just in time to take part in the action at Leane's Trench. He survived this action and spent the next few months on the Gallipoli peninsula with the 11th Battalion.
On the 14th October Thomas was evacuated from Gallipoli suffering from dysentery. From the Casualty Clearing Station on the Anzac beach he was sent out to the hospital ship Delta which took him back to Egypt. Upon his arrival, Tom was sent to No.15 General Hospital in Alexandria. He was also now diagnosed with enteric.
He spent around five weeks in hospital in Egypt and was then released on the 6th December 1915. He was then assigned duty at the Garrison Camp in Cairo. The Australians had been evacuated from Gallipoli in December 1915 and had been returned to Egypt. However Tom remained working at the Garrison Camp for the first two months of 1916. He then rejoined the 11th battalion on the 6th March 1916.
He spent the next few weeks in Egypt with the 11th Battalion but on the 29th March 1916 they departed for France, arriving at Marseilles on the 5th April 1916. They were then entrained north for the Armentieres sector of the Western Front. They were to gain experience in this sector for the next few months. The 11th battalion saw action near Bois Grenier and Estaires. On the 30th May 1916, the Germans launched a large trench raid on the 11th Battalion positions causing many casualties. Tom was wounded by shrapnel in the chest, hand, leg and buttocks.
After initial medical treatment at the 3rd Australian Field Ambulance, Tom was sent to the 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station. He was then sent to the 22nd Stationary Hospital at Camiers. He did not have long here and on the 7th June 1916 he was transferred by hospital ship to England.
On arrival in England Tom was sent to the 2nd Southern General Hospital in Birmingham. He would be a patient here for the next three months. On the 12th September 1916 he was then sent to No.1 Command Depot Camp at Perham Downs. The following day he was granted a two week furlough. Tom was due to report back to camp on the 27th September 1916 but did not report back till the 3rd November 1916.
As a punishment Tom was fined 65 days pay and had to undergo 28 days of detention. On the 13th November 1916 he was then transferred to No.4 Command Depot Camp at Wareham.
While at Wareham Tom got into trouble again for being drunk on duty and for resisting his arrest. He was court martialed and pleaded guilty to both charges. He was fined 85 days pay and had to undergo 60 days of detention.
On the 3rd April 1917 Tom was transferred to the 70th battalion of the newly forming 6th Division. This was a new division being put together at Wareham Camp from reinforcements and men in England. They would train in England for the next few months, however with the lack of reinforcements coming from Australia there was not enough men to fill this new division and so it was disbanded in September 1917.
While at Wareham Tom got into trouble a few times for being absent from parade or going absent without leave. The worst of the punishment was 14 days of Field Punishment No.2, which often involved hard labour and extra duties.
On the 9th October 1917, Tom was sent back to France to rejoin the 11th battalion. He was taken back on strength of the 11th battalion on the 13th October 1917. The 11th Battalion were then in Belgium, situated near Celtic Wood on the Ypres battlefield. He served for the next few weeks in the vicinity of Broodseinde Ridge and Passchendaele.
In December 1918 the 11th Battalion were holding the front line in Belgium, south east of Ypres, between Hollebeke and Messines. On the 9th January 1918 while on duty Tom sprained his ankle. He was sent to the 14th General Hospital at Wimereux for treatment. There was enough damage to his ankle that Tom was sent to England as it was found he had a fractured fibula.
On arrival in England, Tom was sent to the 2/1st Southern General Hospital in Birmingham. He spent two weeks there and was then transferred to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield. He remained here for another four weeks and was then sent to No.3 Command Depot Camp at Hurdcott. Tom was here for a month but then skipped camp and went missing for four months. He reported back on the 24th June 1918.
Tom was court martialed and plead guilty. He was given eight months detention which he began at Lewes Military Prison. However he only was at Lewes Prison till October 1918 and was then released. Tom was then sent back to France and rejoined the 11th battalion on the 3rd November 1918. When he rejoined them the 11th Battalion were out of the front line on a rest period and eight days later the Armistice was announced.
When the Germans withdrew to behind their own borders, the Australians were then sent into what had been German occupied parts of Belgium and France. Tom remained with the 11th Battalion through to the 12th January 1919. He was then returned to England, due to being a 1915 enlistee he qualified for an early return home. He spent a few weeks at No.2 Group Camp at Sutton Veny, while waiting to receive news of his departure home.
On the 21st March 1919 Tom went to Devonport Harbour and boarded the transport ship Kildonan Castle. The ship then sail for Australia, arriving at Fremantle on the 27th April 1919. He was then discharged from the AIF on the 30th June 1919.
He then returned to Fremantle Harbour and resumed work as a Lumper. He lived at 35 Alma Street, (later renumbered to 11 Alma) before moving to 50 Queen Street Fremantle. (later renumbered to 34 Queen St) and the Arundle Street.
In 1936 Tom married Christina Sulllivan and in 1937 they went to live at 56 Cliff Street Fremantle. During this time Tom was still working as a Lumper.
They then moved to 29 Attfield Street Fremantle
Thomas Kiernan died on the 23rd July 1949 aged 69. He was buried in Fremantle Cemetery plot Roman Catholic MON C3 0187.