Lee, Thomas
3680 Private Thomas Lee - 44th Battalion AIF
Thomas was born in Birmingham England to Harriet and George Lee in 1887, one of eight siblings in the family. The family lived at Bordesley, Aston, Warwickshire, England.
He took up a four-year apprenticeship with Lee & James in Birmingham in Brush Making. This was his father's company.
Thomas also served for five years in England with the Royal Field Artillery.
He was 22 years old when arrived in WA on the Orsova 29th July 1909.
On arrival in WA he took up residence in Petra Street East Fremantle and found work locally as a brushmaker. He was initially boarding with a family called Prosser.
On the 21st January 1917 Thomas enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was passed as fit for enlistment, with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 8 inches tall;
Weight - 126lbs;
Chest Measurement - 32-34 inches;
Complexion - Fresh;
Eyes - Blue;
Hair - Fair.
Upon his successful enlistment, Tom was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to the depot training company. He had a few weeks being taken through the basics of infantry training and he was then assigned to the 10th Reinforcements to the 51st Battalion AIF. He trained with this group in WA for the next five months. On the 29th June 1917 Tom and his group entrained to Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship HMAT Borda. The ship then set sail for England, reaching Plymouth on the 25th August 1917.
After being disembarked, Tom and his group were sent to the 13th Training Battalion at Codford Camp on the Salisbury Plains. He trained here for the next few months.
On the 12th December 1917, Tom was sent across to France and was sent to the 3rd Australian Division Base Depot Camp in Rouelles. He had a few days here and was then taken on strength of the 44th Battalion AIF on the 18th December 1917.
From December 1917 to March 1918 the 44th Battalion held the line in Belgium south east of Ypres.
As a result of the German offensive on March 21st 1918 which broke through the British front line further south, the Australian Divisions were sent to the Somme to help stop the German advance. The 44th Battalion were sent to an area near the Somme River at Sailly-le-Sec and Sailly Laurette. The 44th Battalion advanced till they met the Germans in the field near Sailly Laurette and though the German fire stopped the 44th from advancing, the Germans were also stopped.
Tom and the 44th Battalion were in this sector for the next few months. On the 4th July 1918 the 44th Battalion took part in the successful capture of Hamel village. Tom came through this action unscathed.
On the 8th August 1918 the 44th Battalion took part in the successful advance from the Villers-Bretonneux front and they took their objectives. The 44th Battalion advanced continually for the next several weeks, seeing action around Bray, Clery and Peronne. By the 29th September 1918 the 44th Battalion were at the Hindenburg Line defences. The 44th Battalion was involved in the attack for the next few days but again Tom came through safely.
The 44th battalion were then withdrawn for a rest period and they were still out of the line when the Armistice was announced on the 11th November 1918. Tom was given leave to England on the 20th November 1918 for two weeks, returning on the 6th December 1918.
Tom then remained with the 44th battalion in France through to February 1919. He was then detached for duty for a period with the Australian Base Depots in France. This detachment lasted until the 10th June 1919. Tom was then returned to England and was sent to No.2 Group Camp at Sutton Veny. He would now wait here to be assigned a berth on a transport ship for Australia.
On the 3rd September 1919 Tom boarded the transport ship Barambah and set sail for Australia, reaching Fremantle on the 17th October 1919. Tom was then discharged from the AIF on the 17th November 1919 and returned to Petra Street East Fremantle. He also resumed his employment as a brush maker at the WA Brushware Company in East Fremantle.
Tom lived at 64 Petra Street through to the 1940's.
Tom died on the 10th March 1944 in Palmyra WA aged 56. He was buried in Fremantle Cemetery plot Anglican MON A7 0218.