The Soldier's Details
- Surname:
- Thomsett
- First Name:
- Ernest James
- Nick Name:
- Ernie or Tomo
- Rank:
- Private
- Regimental #:
- WX17615
- Company:
- ‘E’ Company, Special Reserve Battalion, No. 2 Platoon
- Enlisted:
- 11.11.1941
- DOB:
- 17.12.1922
- Place of Birth:
- Subiaco, Western Australia
- Father's Name:
- Albert 'Edward' Charles Thomsett (known as Ted)
- Mothers's Name:
- Vera Alexandria Thomsett (nee Westwood)
- Religion:
- Church of England
- Pre-war Occupation:
- Grocer’s Assistant
- Memorial:
- Kranji War Cemetery, Plot 6, Row C, Grave 11, Age 19.
- Cause of Death:
- Killed in Action
- Place of Death:
- Sungei Kranji-Sungei Jurong Defence Line
- Date of Death:
- 10.02.1942
General Description
He would never vote, never get married and never return to Australia. Ernie Thomsett was KIA aged 19 years.
Ernie’s Grandfather John Young Westwood enlisted WW1, former miner, he became Sapper with No. 1 Tunnelling Company. He died POW in Bayreuth, Germany 1918 from non-treatment of gunshot wounds and starvation.
Ernie was 5′ 7″ tall.
Please read story of ‘E’ Company
Ernest Thomsett enlisted on 11th November 1941. Until that time he worked as a grocer’s assistant. He joined reinforcements on 2 January 1942 with 2/4th MGB’s ‘E’ Company with minimal training of about 6 weeks!
Three months later he was killed in action 10 Feb 1942 at Sungei Kranji-Sungei Jurong Defence Line, Singapore aged 19 years.
Please read further about ‘E’ Company at Singapore
Ernie’s parents Albert Edward Charles Thomsett (known as Edward ‘Ted’) was born Kalgoorlie 1901 and Vera Alexandria Westward (born Victoria 1901) married Subiaco 1920. Ernie was in fact born in 1923, and not 1922 as he recorded on his enlistment. He had three sisters and one brother.
Below: Vera’s mother, Dinah Westwood of Collie, died in 1913.
James Young Westwood, husband of Dinah Westwood enlisted WW1 in NSW, he was well over 44 years old. Being a former miner, Westwood became sapper with No. 2 Tunelling Company. He was taken POW of Germany, and died of illness 1918 as a POW in Germany. One document says cardiac illness, another says he had a gunshot wound (to right chest). Please read this compiled story about James Young Westwood
Vera’s sister marries in 1915.
Vera Westwood is an attendant at her sister’s wedding.
Vera Thomsett died June 1967 Karrinyup, and was buried Karrakatta. Edward ‘Ted’ Thomsett died 1964 Karrinyup, he was also buried Karrakatta.
Below: death of Ted’s mother Arabella Louise Thomsett in 1946, NSW.
Vera Alexandria Thomsett (nee Westwood) was born 1901 in Victoria. Her parents James Young Westwood (born at sea) and Dinah Jones born Wales married 1890 in New Zealand. They arrived in Victoria in 1894 from Dunedin with three children. Vera was 3 years old. Another two children were born before the family moved to WA. The year of their arrival is unknown, however the family were recorded residing at Collie in 1906, 1910 and 1912, with Dinah’s death in 1913.
