The Soldier's Details

Surname:
Gittos
First Name:
Thomas Edwin
Nick Name:
Tommy or Tom
Rank:
Private
Regimental #:
WX8870
Company:
‘A’ Company, No. 6 Platoon
Enlisted:
23.10.1940
DOB:
15.03.1920
Place of Birth:
Guildford, Western Australia
Father's Name:
Thomas Gittos
Mothers's Name:
Doris Gittos
Religion:
Church of England
Pre-war Occupation:
Labourer
Memorial:
Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, Plot 1, Row E, Grave 55, Age 23.
Singapore:
Selarang Camp and Barracks Changi
Force:
‘D’ Force Thailand S Battalion
POW#:
3/7897 & 8782
Cause of Death:
Post Leg Amputation and Dysentery
Place of Death:
Tamarkan
Date of Death:
26.09.1943
Buried:
Grave E24,Tamarkan.

General Description

Gittos

Tom taken at the rear garden of family’s home in Beechboro.

Thomas Edwin was the only much loved son of Thomas Gittos and Doris Williams.  Tom also had a sister Winnifred.  Winnie was profoundly deaf.  She enjoyed life,  maintaining an interest in the world around her and her extended family.  Winnie however continued to mourn the death of her only brother Tommy until her death in 2011.

Gittos Thomas Edwin

 

The above photo and information provided by Tommy’s great neice, Beth Perry whose Grandfather and Thomas Gittos (Snr) were half brothers.

 

Gittos Thomas death notices 1945

Gittos centre Front

Above:  Tom Gittos on right

 

Pte Nazzari and Pte Tommie Gittos on the way to Darwin

Pte Nazzari and Pte Tommie Gittos on the way to Darwin. Neither were to survive the war and return home to Western Australia.
Tommy Gittos was selected in Singapore to work on the Burma-Thai Railway with ‘D’ Force S Battalion.  This group departed on 14 March 1943 by train on a 4 day hellish journey to Thailand.
Tommy slaved and starved for about 6 or 7 months working on the railway and in September 1943 seriously ill with dysentery and advanced tropical ulcers, the Doctors amputated his leg.  Sadly Tommy was not able to survive and he died on 26th September1943 at Tamarkan Camp aged  23 years.
Below: Tom’s name hand-written by Arthur Moon, Tamarkan Hospital records.  Also recorded is Robert Rennie WX7493 who died following an amputation of his leg.

Rennie & Gittos

Below:  Today Tommy rests at the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery,Thailand with 91 mates from the 2/4th.

Camp Locations:

  • Selarang Barracks Changi - Singapore
  • Selarang Camp Changi - Singapore
  • Tamarkan, Tha Makham 56k - Thailand
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