Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

Thomas was one of seven sons and six daughters of Alfred (1838-1897) and Catherine (1849-1934, nee Walsh) White. Thomas (known to his family as Ernie) was born at Geraldine on 9 June 1884, where he attended school at least up to the 4th standard. His father Alfred was born at Bow, London Borough of Tower Hamlets, Greater London, England on 11 February 1838, and his mother Catherine was born at Birr, County Offaly, Ireland. The first four children were born at Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, between 1868 and 1874, and the first New Zealand born child was at Dunedin in 1876. By 1881 the family was living in the Geraldine district where Alfred was working as an architect. Here he was very involved in public affairs, being a Lodge member, on the Geraldine County Council, Town Board and Licensing Board. Thomas’ father died at Geraldine on 23 July 1897 at the age of 59 years, and had invested in properties at Geraldine, Orari, Winchester and Albury.

From 1905 to 1911, Thomas was listed as living at home at Pleasant Valley Road, Geraldine, and working as a butcher. Sometime after 1911, the family moved to the Wanganui district, residing at Durie Hill. Here Thomas found work with Mr S.O. Snow, a local contractor, and on 20 May 1916 was medically boarded at Wanganui for war service. On his enlistment papers he had nominated his mother Catherine who was now living at 113 Harrison Street, Wanganui, as his next of kin, and was described as being single, Roman Catholic, 5 foot 8 ¾ inches tall, weighing 152 pounds (69kgs), chest measuring 36-39 inches, dark complexion, grey eyes and black hair. On 26 June 1916 Thomas, along with other local 18th Reinforcement men, was given a civic farewell before leaving for Trentham Camp. Here he underwent the usual three weeks basic training before moving to Featherston Camp for more in depth training in drill, bayonet fighting, tactics and musketry. On 11 October 1916 he left Wellington aboard HMNZT 67 Tofua as part of the 18th Reinforcements, NZEF, destined for Plymouth, Devon England. Travelling in convoy with HMNZT 66 Willochra via Albany, the Cape of Good Hope, Cape Province, and the Republic of South Africa, they reached Plymouth, Devon, England, on 28 December. Here he marched into Sling Camp which was the main NZ training camp situated in the heart of the Salisbury Plains. Rifleman White was attached to the strength of the 5th Reserve Battalion, and training continued until 30 March 1917, when he was taken on the strength of the 3rd Battalion (Ruahine Company) of the Wellington Infantry Regiment at Codford Camp. Extensive training was carried out here, and on 30 April the brigade marched 20 miles to Sling Camp to be reviewed by His Majesty the King, before returning to Codford on 2 May. On 10 May a full dress inspection was held by Field Marshall Viscount French near Codford.

The 3rd Battalion left by two trains for Southampton on 28 May where the Ruahine Company crossed to France aboard the SS Australind. At midday on May 30, they entrained for Bailleul where they stayed for the next eleven days. From April 3, the Ruahine Company was detached and employed laying water pipes in preparation for the assault against the Messines-Wytschaete Ridge. 14 June saw the 3rd Battalion receive its baptism of trench warfare when they relieved the 3rd Auckland’s in the line at Le Touquet Sector, before being relieved in turn by the 3rd Otago’s on 22 June and going back to rest billets at Nieppe. On 1 July Thomas was promoted to Lance Corporal. A week later his unit moved to Brune Baye, supplying working parties for the NZ Engineers, before moving back to front line trenches in the Le Touquet Section on 16 July. On 31 July the Ruahine’s were tasked with taking the hedgerows during the attack on La Basse Ville, where they come under heavy machine gun fire. It was on this day that Thomas received gunshot wounds to the head, and was admitted to 4 NZ Field Ambulance before being moved to the 2nd Australian Casualty Clearance Station, where he died from his wounds. Thomas was aged 33 years at the time of his death, and was buried in the Trois Arbres Cemetery.

After the war Thomas’s mother Catherine recieved his British War Medal and Victory medals, along with a scroll and plaque.

Thomas’ brother 2/1126 Sergeant John Alexander White (1883-1961) also served with the NZ Field Artillery, winning the Military Medal. A nephew, Leo Orton White, was also killed in action in November 1918 in France.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [March 2019]; New Zealand ANZACs in the Great War 1914-1918 (University of New South Wales) at http://nzef.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=272582; "18th Reinforcements" in the Wanganui Chronical 15 June 1916 and "Roll of honour" in the Wanganui Herald 16 August 1917, courtesy of Papers Past at https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/; Find a Grave at https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/112171941/alfred-white

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file

Related Documents

No documents available.

Researched and Written by

Ted Hansen, SC branch NZSG

Currently Assigned to

Not assigned.