The AIF Project

Thomas William FOLKARD

Regimental number2654
Place of birthRichmond, Surrey, England
ReligionChurch of England
OccupationStation hand
AddressTambo, Queensland
Marital statusMarried
Age at embarkation34
Next of kinWife, Mrs Rose Folkard, Tambo, Queensland
Enlistment date23 March 1916
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name52nd Battalion, 6th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/69/3
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A40 Ceramic on 7 October 1916
Rank from Nominal RollSergeant
Unit from Nominal Roll52nd Battalion
Other details from Roll of Honour CircularEnlisted 23 March 1916; posted to 52 Battalion 6th Reinforcements; taken on strength 52 Battalion 2 January 1917; wounded in Battle of Messines 10 June 1917; promoted Sgt 28 November 1917; mortally wounded 24 April 1918; awarded Military Medal.
FateDied of wounds 24 April 1918
Place of death or woundingVillers-Bretonneux, France
Age at death37
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsAustralian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, France

Villers-Bretonneux is a village about 15 km east of Amiens. The Memorial stands on the high ground ('Hill 104') behind the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery, Fouilloy, which is about 2 km north of Villers-Bretonneux on the east side of the road to Fouilloy.

The Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux is approached through the Military Cemetery, at the end of which is an open grass lawn which leads into a three-sided court. The two pavilions on the left and right are linked by the north and south walls to the back (east) wall, from which rises the focal point of the Memorial, a 105 foot tall tower, of fine ashlar. A staircase leads to an observation platform, 64 feet above the ground, from which further staircases lead to an observation room. This room contains a circular stone tablet with bronze pointers indicating the Somme villages whose names have become synonymous with battles of the Great War; other battle fields in France and Belgium in which Australians fought; and far beyond, Gallipoli and Canberra.

On the three walls, which are faced with Portland stone, are the names of 10,885 Australians who were killed in France and who have no known grave. The 'blocking course' above them bears the names of the Australian Battle Honours.

After the war an appeal in Australia raised £22,700, of which £12,500 came from Victorian school children, with the request that the majority of the funds be used to build a new school in Villers-Bretonneux. The boys' school opened in May 1927, and contains an inscription stating that the school was the gift of Victorian schoolchildren, twelve hundred of whose fathers are buried in the Villers-Bretonneux cemetery, with the names of many more recorded on the Memorial. Villers-Bretonneux is now twinned with Robinvale, Victoria, which has in its main square a memorial to the links between the two towns.

Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
155
Medals

Military Medal

'For gallantry and devotion to duty. On the 11th April 1917 near REINCOURT after the withdrawal from the HINDENBURG LINE these men [FOLKARD, 5077 C.B. DICK; 2158 T. DOBE, 2450 J. HOARE, 235 N.G. HATTON, 1875A A.C. ONIONS, 3970 R.C. HOLDEN, 3182 C.E. UPCHURCH, 1747 T. SEE] under the command of Lieutenant JULIN of 52 Battalion volunteered in spite of continuous machine gun and artillery fire, to go out into NO MAN'S LAND and collect wounded. At first they go a hostile reception but ultimately by their persistency and determination, they were permitted to carry on unmolested till dark. In this manner they saved the lives of many who would otherwise have perished in the snow. Two of the number were killed but undetermined the remainder stuck to their task until darkness put a stop to their work. They showed magnificent coolness and gallantry and untiring energy in their difficult task.'
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 169
Date: 4 October 1917

Other details

War service: Western Front

Medals: Military Medal, British War Medal, Victory Medal

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