Regimental number | 16659 |
Place of birth | Paris France |
Religion | Church of England |
Occupation | Station hand |
Address | c/o Colonel McKay, "Wallandoon", Wallindbeen, New South Wales |
Marital status | Single |
Age at embarkation | 22 |
Next of kin | Mother, Mrs Beatrice Thirkell, c/o Colonel McKay, 'Wallandoon', Wallindbeen, New South Wales |
Enlistment date | |
Rank on enlistment | Private |
Unit name | 1st Light Horse Field Ambulance, 24th Reinforcement |
AWM Embarkation Roll number | 26/39/3 |
Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board RMS Karmala on |
Rank from Nominal Roll | Private |
Unit from Nominal Roll | 3rd Light Horse Regiment |
Fate | Returned to Australia |
Medals |
Meritorious Service Medal 'On arrival on 21st February 1918 of patients suffering from Typhus Fever were found in some basement rooms in a shockingly neglected and filthy state. Apparently no one had entered the rooms for some time and food had been passed through a window. Private Thirkell with two assistants entered these rooms and at great personal risk stripped the clothes off these patients, lifted them on to clean blankets and carried them out. For the performance of this dangerous work he had none of the usual means of protection, such as gloves overalls or knee boots, and it is seldom that Typhus patients can be handled under such circumstances without disaster to the attendants. By his bearing and manner of regarding it as a simple matter of duty, he inspired confidence in his assistant, who at first showed a little trepidation in undertaking the work. It was absolutely necessary that such a focus of infection as these patients represented should be dealt with. By the thorough manner in which it was done they became no longer a menace to the troops and comparatively harmless to future attendants.'
Source: 'London Gazette' No. Date: |
Other details |
War service: Middle East Medals: Meritorious Service Medal, British War Medal, Victory Medal |