Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

Thomas, second son of Edwin John Moses (1845-1919) and Elizabeth Ann (1844-1883 nee Goldsworthy) was born at Waimate on 4 May 1879. Edwin his father, was born in Devonshire, and had served in HM Navy as a boy before coming out to New Zealand in the ship St Lawrence, arriving in Timaru in 1874. He then proceeded to Waimate, where he worked as a saddler, and was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 1899. In 1868 Edwin married Elizabeth, a daughter of Mr Goldsworthy, of Devonshire, and had a family of three sons and two daughters. After Elizabeth died in 1883, he remarried in 1905, Mrs Annie Jane Ottley (1867-1909 nee Lack).

At his time of enlisting on 9 March 1916, Thomas was a self-employed storekeeper and gave his address as care of S. Jacobs, Waimate, and his next of kin his father, Mr Edwin John Atwill of Waimate. Thomas was described as being single, aged 36 years, Methodist, 5 foot 7 inches tall, weighing 129 pounds (59 kgs), chest measuring 31 ½ to 33 ½ inches, of fair complexion, grey eyes and having brown hair. After training with the NZ Rifle Brigade (NZRB), he left Wellington on 26 June 1916 aboard HMNZT 56 SS Tahiti, with the 5th Reinforcements, G Company, 3rd Battalion NZRB, destination Devonport, England. Arriving on 22 August he marched into Sling Camp, where, after further training, he left for France on 19 September, and was posted to B Company, 4th Battalion, NZRB on 3 October 1916. The brigade's first major offensive had taken place on 15 September during the Battle of the Somme, as part of the Battle of Flers-Courcelette. On 15 November 1916 he was admitted sick to 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station before re-joining his unit on 23 December. On 1 May to 26 June 1917 he had a short attachment to the NZ Salvage Company. When he returned to his unit, they were heavily involved in the Battle of Messines. Thomas was again admitted sick to the Canadian General Hospital on 19 August 1917, and transferred to Base Depot on 3 November, ex 5 Convalescent Depot. After examination by a Medical Board on 6 December, he was sent back to Sling Camp England 15 December, and on 8 January 1918, was admitted to 3 NZ General Hospital with bronchitis. On 2 February 1918 at Liverpool, he boarded the SS Maunganui for his return to New Zealand. After having served a total of 2 years and 122 days, Thomas was discharged from the army on 8 July 1918 as no longer fit for war service on account of illness contracted on active service. He was later awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal for this service. Thomas returned to Waimate and in 1919, where he was living at High Street employed as a fruiterer. In 1920 he married Miss Edith Annie Keene Downward (1890-1949), daughter of Peter and Mary Downward, and they went on to have five children. From 1921 to 1935 they are listed as living at 19 Fife Street, Christchurch, where he was working as a railway employee. From 1938 to 1954 he was living at 5 Buchanan Street, Timaru, where he worked as a labourer. From 1954 to 1957 he was listed at 37 Manchester Street, Christchurch as a war pensioner. Thomas died in Christchurch on 2 November 1958 at the age of 78, and is buried in the Timaru Cemetery with his wife Edith. Two of Thomas’ brothers also served during World War 1: 47300 Private Joseph Henry Atwill who served in France with the Canterbury Infantry Regiment; and 16601 Private Mark Atwill, who served at home with the Canterbury Mounted Rifle and later with the Medical Corps.

Sources

Auckland War memorial Museum Cenotaph Database (June 2017); New Zealand ANZACs in the Great War 1914-1918 (University of New South Wales) at http://nzef.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=8415; Assorted records at Ancestry at ancestry.com; Timaru District Council cemetery records at http://www.timaru.govt.nz/services/community-and-culture/cemeteries/cemetery-search?BurialId=20673; 'Roll of honour' in the Timaru Herald 21 January 1918 p8, courtesy of Papers Past at https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/

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.