In August of 1916, the mother of a soldier serving in the Australian Army placed pen to paper, and composed the following letter to Captain McLean of the Australian Imperial Forces, concerning her son, Henry Lamert Thomas, a Private in the 30th Battalion, A.I.F.
Toronto
Lake MacQuarie
Via Newcastle
N.S. Wales
Aug. 24th 1916
Captain McLean
Base Records
Melbourne
Dear Sir
The Defence Dept have advised me that my son No. 2466 Pri. H.L. Thomas 30th Battalion is officially reported Missing since 20th July 1916. Can you possibly ascertain for me if he has been made a prisoner of war if so would letters be delivered to him. He left Sydney March 11th as leading reinforcements and shortly after his arrival in Egypt reverted to the ranks (at his own request) to join his battalion. Mrs. Hunt wife of Major Hunt at present in service with 35th Battalion has assured me that you will use your best efforts to help me in my time of anxiety. Kindly reply as soon as you can.
Yours Sincerely
(Mrs.) J. Thomas
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Some three months later, having since learned that – in the midst of the carnage of 1916, her once-missing son was miraculously alive, and a prisoner of the Germans – she again wrote to Captain McLean, this time regarding her son’s receipt of parcels and letters:
Te Aroha
Toronto
Lake MacQuarie
N.S. Wales
Nov. 6th 1916
Captain McLean
Dear Sir
Could you inform me if the _____ parcels of letters belonging to my son No. 2466 Pfc. H.L. Thomas have been returned to Australia? He has been a prisoner of war in Germany since July 20th. Parcels or letters have been posted fortnightly since he left Australia March 11th some of which have reached him. Up to June his address was Sergt – Etampes he left as Sergt [with] the 4th reinforcements 35th Battalion but reverted to the ranks to join his Battalion to go to France where he [was] taken prisoner.
Thanking you
Yours truly
(Mrs.) L.A. Thomas
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At the time of her second letter, Private Thomas was imprisoned at Erkrath, Germany. A little less than a year later he would be free, having escaped from German captivity in the company of Private Hector Holmes. He survived the war, and doubtless, eventually returned to Australia.
What makes this story notable is the preservation and availability of a remarkably detailed account of the capture and captivity of this Australian Jewish Soldier, which is presented in this post.
Born in New South Wales in 1897, Henry L. Thomas was the son of Mrs. Francis Thomas, who resided at Te Aroha, on Brighton Ave., in Toronto (a suburb of Newcastle in New South Wales), by occupation a railway clerk with the New South Wales Government Railway.
Private Thomas’ Interview is appended to his Attestation Papers, which can be accessed at the website of the National Archives of Australia (“NAA”; http://naa.gov.au/).* His Attestation Papers are presented below, while a transcript of his interview is presented in my “next” post.
A member of B Company, 30th Battalion, 4th Reinforcements, Australian Imperial forces, Thomas was captured on July 20, 1916, in the midst of the Battle of the Somme, which transpired from July 1 to November 18 of that year.
According to the Australian War Memorial, “The 30th Battalion was raised as part of the 8th Brigade at Liverpool in New South Wales on 5 August 1915. Most of its recruits hailed from the Newcastle region and other parts of country New South Wales, but almost an entire company was composed of former RAN ratings from Victoria.
The 8th Brigade joined the newly raised 5th Australian Division in Egypt and proceeded to France, destined for the Western Front, in June 1916. The 30th Battalion’s first major battle was at Fromelles on 19 July 1916. It was tasked with providing carrying parties for supplies and ammunition but was soon drawn into the vicious fighting. Following Fromelles, the battalion was rotated in and out of the front line along with others in the brigade, but played no major offensive role for the rest of the year.”
A prisoner at various locations in Germany, he escaped from German captivity in October of 1917 and eventually returned to Allied control.
Thomas was sent to or interned at the following locations after his capture:
France
Loos (temporary POW holding facility) 20 July 1916
Lille (temporary POW holding facility) 20 July 1916 through 22 July 1916
In Transit from France to Germany
By train from Lille to Dulmen, Germany 22 July 1916 through 24 July 1916
Germany
Dulmen (Lager Number 3) 24 July 1916 through 4 September 1916
Erkrath (near Dusseldorf) 4 September 1916 through 10 February 1917
Munster (POW Camp Number1) 10 February 1917 through 4 April 1917
Duisberg Meidrich (Work Commando) 4 April 1917 through 27 October 1917
It is notable that only one month transpired between his escape, and the interview of 1917.
Of particular interest is the incorporation of the German document used to record biographical information, within Private Thomas’ Attestation Papers. An intriguing aspect of the document is that it is bilingual – unlike German POW documents during the Second World War – with headings in both English and German.
The information recorded in the POW record comprises:
Stammlager / Principal Camp (or) Lazarett / Hospital
Datum der Ausfertigung / Date
Zuname / Surname
Vorname / Christian Name
Rang / Rank
Reg. oder Korps / Regiment or Corps
Reg. Nr. / Regiment Number
Komp. / Company
Erkennsungsmarke Nr. / Number of Identification disc
Gefangennahme / Capture
Ort / Place [of capture]
Datum / Date [of capture]
Ob verwundet / Whether wounded
Bezeichnung der Wunde / Description of wound
Geburt / Birth
Ort / Place [of birth]
Datum / Date [of birth]
Heimatort / Home Place [address]
Adresse des nachsten Verwandten / Address of next-of-kin
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The account of Thomas’ capture and captivity, recorded by R.C. Swain in London on November 28, 1917, focuses almost entirely on Thomas’ life as a POW, in terms of life in the POW camps where he was interned, his interactions with fellow POWs and Germans (the latter both in military and civilian capacities), and, living and working conditions in Germany.
As such, the document does not cover Thomas’ prior experiences as a soldier, and unfortunately, accords tantalizingly little attention to the specific military action in which he was captured, the discussion of which is limited to the first few paragraphs. Similarly; unfortunately – even more tantalizingly! – it contains no information about his escape, as such.
(Presumably, such documents do exist – somewhere. But, where?)
However, nominal information about Pvt. Thomas’ escape does exist, and is present in the Enquiry Bureau Files of the Australian Red Cross Society for Wounded and Missing. (A copy of this document is also present in Pvt. Thomas’ Attestation Papers.) There, a document headed “Prisoner of War” and dated November 19, 1917, states:
“My mate and myself have escaped from Germany, we have to remain, 16 days here before going to England, the people are very kind it is like home. After leaving Germany we left our camp on Friday evening and arrived in Holland Thursday morning. We are very tired but happy at last. Extract from post-card written by Hector Holmes 3555 30th Batt dated 3.11.17 from Righs Quarantine, Sittard. Holland refers to man and Holmes escape together. Post-card received 17/11/17.”
A later document, dated December 4 and headed “Escaped Prisoner of War”, states:
”Left Duisberg Meiderick 26.10.17 arrived Holland 30.10.17. – Left Holland arrived England 21.11.17 – reported at A.I.F. Headquarters to Colonel Griffiths at 6 p.m. 23.11.17 – reported to B. Records [Base Records] 24.11.17.
Information from Man given 29.11.17.”
In civilian life, Private Hector Holmes, 3555, was a farmer from Branxton, New South Wales. He served in the 56th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force. Like Private Thomas, he was captured on July 20.
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In a larger context, Private Thomas was one of the over five hundred Australian Jewish soldiers who were military casualties (killed, wounded, missing, prisoners of war, or injured) in the First World War. About 470 of these men’s names appear in Reverend Michael Adler’s British Jewry’s Book of Honour, while the names of some 38 are absent from that publication. The names of these nearly 510 men – as well as of those Australian Jewish servicemen fortunate enough to have experienced the First World War without wounds, injury, or captivity – occupy pages 549 through 566 of Reverend Adler’s book. There, Private Thomas’ name appears on page 565.
The names of 144 of “the 470” – in connection with news stories, announcements of military decorations, or casualty notices – appeared in The Jewish Chronicle (London) during WW I.
Private Thomas’ name is also listed on page 82 of the Australian Jewry Book of Honour, that publication indicating that he received the Military Medal, and giving his middle name as “Lambert”. An image of this page appears below:
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The following images comprise the Attestation Papers of Private Thomas. The physical format of these documents, and the information recorded within them, is representative of Attestation Forms used by the Australian Imperial Forces and other nations of the British Commonwealth, during the First World War.
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The first page covers the enlistee’s biographical Information. Notice that the enlistee has been required to sign his name, and record the date of enlistment.
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The second page covers his physical description, religious affiliation, Certificate of Medical Examination, and Certificate of the Commanding Officer at the station of enlistment. This page also includes the enlistee’s signature.
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The same sheet as above, to which has been attached a document showing updates about Private Thomas’ “Missing in Action” and “Prisoner of War” status.
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Continuing with the same page, Private Thomas’ German POW information sheet (described above) has been attached.
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And finally, the notice of his escape, with Private Hector Holmes (transcribed above), from German captivity.
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References
Books
Adler, Michael, British Jewry Book of Honour, Caxton Publishing Company, London, England, 1922.
Banks, Arthur, A Military Atlas of the First World War, Leo Cooper, South Yorkshire, England, 2001
Boas, Harold, Australian Jewry Book of Honour – The Great War, 1914-1918, Lamson Paragon (West Australia), Ltd., Perth, Western Australia, 1923. (Accessed at the Dorot Jewish Division of the New York Public Library.)
Gilbert, Martin, The Routledge Atlas of the First World War (2nd Edition), Routledge, London, England, 2002
Macdonald, Lynn, Somme, Michael Joseph, London, England, 1985
Attestation Papers
Holmes, Hector, 3555, at web site of National Archives of Australia (http://www.naa.gov.au/).
Thomas, Henry Lamert, 2466, Private, at web site of National Archives of Australia (http://www.naa.gov.au/).
Other Sources of Information
Australian Red Cross Society Wounded and Missing Enquiry Bureau Files, 1914-18 War, 1DRL/0428, for 2466 Private Henry Lamert Thomas, 30th Battalion, at https://www.awm.gov.au.
New South Wales Association of Jewish ex Servicemen and Women, Detail, 2001, at (http://www.najex.org.au/)
30th Australian Infantry Battalion, at https://www.awm.gov.au/unit/U51470/.
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* As shown in the screen-shots below, the NAA’s search engine is well designed, easy to use, and very intuitive (and aesthetic! – as is the NAA’s website in general), presenting records in easily recognizable and retrievable fashion. Documents are provided as 120 dpi JPGs, which, though not of the highest resolution, certainly have enough clarity for working purposes, and can be adjusted and enhanced as desired via Photoshop or other relevant software.
Opening page of the NAA website. Note the search box in the upper center of the page.
A boolean search has been made for “Thomas” “2466”, which generates 8 records. Records that have been digitized are denoted by a stylized “page” icon in the right portion of the screen.
Upon clicking the pertinent icon, the user is presented with an image of the “first” document in the set of selected records. Using the gray and green “previous” and “next” buttons, the user can scroll through the entire set of documents in reverse or forward fashion, respectively. Or, the user can move to a specific page in the set of documents, using the “jump to page” field.
If desired, the entire set of digitized images can be viewed as a group, and specific images viewed at full size by clicking the relevant icon.
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Though I’m not familiar with the details, the NAA has apparently digitized Attestation Papers for all Australian WW I servicemen, generating an extraordinarily useful resource for those researching military history and genealogy, as well as other fields, such as sociology, economics, immigration, and demography.