The AIF Project

Thomas Patrick FARRELL

Regimental number2165
Place of birthStawell, Victoria
SchoolState and Catholic Schools, Victoria
ReligionRoman Catholic
OccupationFarmer
AddressOuyen, Victoria
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation41
Height5' 9"
Weight150 lbs
Next of kinMother, Mrs M Farrell, Ouyen, Victoria
Previous military serviceServed for 3 years in the Victorian Rangers, South African (Boer) War.
Enlistment date14 April 1915
Place of enlistmentOuyen, Victoria
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name6th Battalion, 6th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/23/2
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A62 Wandilla on 17 June 1915
Regimental number from Nominal Roll2165A
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll6th Battalion
FateKilled in Action 7 August 1915
Place of death or woundingGallipoli, Turkey
Date of death7 August 1915
Age at death40
Age at death from cemetery records41
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsThe Lone Pine Memorial (Panel 26), Gallipoli, Turkey

The Lone Pine Memorial, situated in the Lone Pine Cemetery at Anzac, is the main Australian Memorial on Gallipoli, and one of four memorials to men of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Designed by Sir John Burnet, the principal architect of the Gallipoli cemeteries, it is a thick tapering pylon 14.3 metres high on a square base 12.98 metres wide. It is constructed from limestone mined at Ilgardere in Turkey.

The Memorial commemorates the 3268 Australians and 456 New Zealanders who have no known grave and the 960 Australians and 252 New Zealanders who were buried at sea after evacuation through wounds or disease. The names of New Zealanders commemorated are inscribed on stone panels mounted on the south and north sides of the pylon, while those of the Australians are listed on a long wall of panels in front of the pylon and to either side. Names are arranged by unit and rank.

The Memorial stands over the centre of the Turkish trenches and tunnels which were the scene of heavy fighting during the August offensive. Most cemeteries on Gallipoli contain relatively few marked graves, and the majority of Australians killed on Gallipoli are commemorated here.

Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
46
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: Luke and Mary FARRELL, Ouyen, Victoria. Native of Stawell.
Other details

War service: Egypt, Gallipoli

Taken on strength 6th Bn, Gallipoli, 6 August 1915; posted to B Company.

Reported missing in action, Gallipoli, 7 August 1915.

Statement, Red Cross File No 104061, 2102 Pte F. ALLEN, A Company, 58th Bn, Tel el Kebir, 21 March 1916: 'The above man was seen by witness in the charge on the German Officers' trench made from Steele's Post on 6th August. He went out and was never seen again. Either he was killed or taken prisoner. It is generally believed he was killed.'

Second statement, 1345 Sergeant G.E. FRY, 6th Bn, 19 April 1916: 'Informant states that on the 6th August, at Steel's [sic] Post, casualty went out to the attack, and when informant called the roll in the morning, casualty was missing. Informant was platoon Sgt. of casualty's platoon, and he strongly believes that casualty was killed as no prisoners were taken.'

Third statement (example of confused identification), 1068 Pte H.F. WILLIAMS, 6th Bn (patient, 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield, England), 25 October 1916: 'I know him well and know he was not missing on 7th. August for I saw him and was talking to him at Pozieres on the 18th. and gave him some letters to post for me, and I got hit that night afterwards.'

Fourth statement, 2174 Pte G. GARRETT, 6th Bn (patient, Ormeston Hospital, Eastbourne, England), 27 October 1916: 'On august 7th 1915 at Gallipoli, we were charging the trench, known as the German Officers trench. Farrell was killed alongside of me. We never got that ground, so the body would have stayed there. He came from Victoria and fought in the S. African War ...'

Court of Inquiry held at Erquingham, 24 April 1916, pronounced fate as 'killed in action, Gallipoli, 7 August 1915'.

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
SourcesNAA: B2455, FARRELL Thomas Patrick
Red Cross File No 1040610C

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