The Soldier's Details

Tom enlisted AIF 25 Oct 1940 and later joined 2/4th MGB’s ‘A’ Coy 6 Platoon under CO Lt Johnny Morrison.

As s POW he departed Singapore with ‘A’ Force Burma Green Force No. 3 Battalion – this force initially comprised 3,000 Australian POWs to work on Burma end of Burma-Thai Railway.

Tom Limbourn entered Burma at Victoria Point with Green Force.
He became sick at Ye September 1942 and was later discharged at Tavoy. From Tavoy he moved north to Moulmein and then onto Thanbyuzayat, possibly with Stringer’s draft No. 2 ex-Victoria Point. At this point, Tom re-joined Green Force at the 4.8km Camp and moved to Thetkaw, the 14km Camp.
At Kendaw Tom became sick again and separated from Green Force. When interviewed by Murray Ewen, author of ‘Colour Patch’, Tom said he had joined up with some of the Dutch Prisoners of War. This is interesting because Tom’s POW No. 8960 was within the numbers allocated to a Dutch Group, Draft No. 10, under Captain Van der Schaaf. On his discharge from hospital he moved to the Kun Knit Kway Camp where he was engaged in bridge building. Tom later joined up again with his mates in Green Force as follows: Black Anderson and Williams Force eventually massed at Kun Knit Kway. The first 2 groups to move out to alleviate overcrowding were Black and Anderson Forces, who moved forward to Meiloe 75km Camp in March 1945. It was here Tom joined up with Green Force who later moved forward to Aungganaung 105km Camp. From this camp Tom continued south into Thailand with Williams Force until the completion of the rail link.

The POW Camps mentioned on Tom’s records are only an estimation – we are not able to be certain as there are no records.

Tom was recovered from Thailand at the end of the war.

 

 

 

As a 5 year old, Tom arrived from London 1915 on ‘Osterley’ with his parents Elizabeth and John (48 years, printer) and 14 year old sister Florence.  It is believed Tom had older siblings already living in Western Australia.

His older brother Sam enlisted 44th Battalion WW1 and died of wounds in 1917.

 

His mother died 1928.

John Limbourne remarried in 1930 to Agnes Brett.

His father died 1936.

From 1925-1928 Tom worked for WAG Railways.

In 1936 Electoral Roll Tom was residing Wembley and working as a stereotyper.

Tom and Louise were recording living at Jersey St, Wembley in 1943.

Returning from War Tom divorced his wife Louise (nee Lovatt). They had married in 1934 and had two children.   He later remarried in 1948 to Edna Meehan.

In 1954 Tom and Edna are residing Maddington and he is working as a stereotyper.

in 1987 Electoral Roll Tom and Edna are residing Gosnells and Tom working as a stereotyper.

The Town of Cambridge named their numerous ‘Rights of Way’ after former WW1 and WW2 soldiers, including Tom.

LIMBOURN WAY, off Corboy Street, Leederville.

(Named obtained from “The Western Command – Xmas Number 1941” by DOLA)

Tom Limbourn died 29 Oct 2004 aged 95 years and  cremated Guildford Cemetery.

 

44th Battalion 1917

The 44th Battalion was raised at Claremont, Western Australia in February 1916. It formed part of the 11th Brigade of the 3rd Australian Division, and soon became known as “Old Bill’s Thousand” after its first commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel William Mansbridge. The battalion left Australia on 6 June and proceeded to Britain for further training. It arrived in France on 27 November and entered the front line trenches of the Western Front for the first time on 29 December.

The 44th spent the bleak winter of 1916-17 alternating between service in the front line, and training and labouring in the rear areas. This routine was broken by only one major raid, an ill-fated effort involving almost half the battalion on 13 March 1917. The battalion fought in its first major battle at Messines, in Belgium, between 7 and 10 June. In the months that followed it was heavily employed in the Ypres sector, taking part in another major battle to capture Broodseinde Ridge on 7 June, and participating in costly defensive operations in horrendous conditions. Of the 992 men from the battalion who were involved in the Ypres operations, only 158 emerged unwounded when it was relieved for a rest on 21 October.

Below:  Sam Limbourn’s death is included.