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FOX Thomas Alston (Twin)
2937
Private
13 Battalion
Cooroy
Yes
12 November 1892
Rayleigh - United Kingdom
16 August 1914
SS Berrima
18 August 1914
Sydney

Thomas was born on 12 November 1892 in Rayleigh, UK. He had a twin brother, John Raven Fox.

1914 Jun - The brothers left England with 2,000 other migrants on the P & O liner SS Berrima. Aug 3 – Arrived in Australia with his twin brother Thomas “Tom”. Aug 4 – War was declared and the Australian Government decided to send an expeditionary force to occupy Rabaul, the capital of German New Guinea.

WW1

1914 Aug 16 - Enlisted in the AN & MEF Naval and Military Expeditionary Force, “A” Company. Private, No, 101. Aug 19 - Embarked for Active Service Abroad.

1915 Mar 4 - Discharged from AN & MEF total service 206 days. Mar 8 - Enlisted AIF, Liverpool, NSW. No.2937, Private, 13 Infantry Battalion, 9th Reinforcements. Single, Age 22 4mths, Height 5’ 9 ½. Distinctive Marks: Moles on Chest & Abdomen Occupation: Clerk, C/- “Longarama”, South Head Road, Watson’s Bay, Sydney NSW. NOK. William Fox, Father, Rose Villa, Rayleigh, Essex, England. Sep 6 - Embarked for active service abroad.

Service No. 2937 – 13th Battalion

James was described as being 22 years old, single, a clerk, 5 feet 9½ inches tall, fair hair, grey eyes, fair complexion with moles on chest and abdomen. He gave his father W. Fox, Rose Vila, Victoria Road, Rayleigh, Essex, England. Faith: Church of England

His medical examination was performed at Sydney on 8 March 1915.

He enlisted in the AIF on 13 March 1915 and embarked for active service abroad on 6 September 1915. Admitted to N.Z. & A. Convalescent Hospital at Helouan with Gastro. On 19 November discharged to base depot and allotted light duties.

1916 Joined unit at Ismailia on 8 January 1916. On 1 June 1916 he embarked Alexandria to join B.E.F. Disembarked Marseilles 8 June 1916.

1917 Detached to 4th Training Battalion, Belgium for duty. Appointed to permanent cadre in UK of 4th Training Battalion to complete establishment.

OFFENCE (6.8.1917) – Neglecting to obey an order. Severely reprimanded. On 24 October 1917 DCM held at Codford. CHARGE – A.W.L. 4/5/10 1917 to 9/10/1917. SENTENCE – to be reduced to the ranks of Corporal plus forfeiture of 20 day’s pay.

1918- On the 27th February 1918 he was admitted to the King George Hospital with scabies

1919 Granted leave from 25 May 1919 to 25 July 1919 with pay. 1919 May 26 - Motor Engineering with Mansions Motor Training Garage, 78 York Street, Westminister. Jul 25 - Duration of non military employment.

1920 Left England for return to Australia on 22 January 1920 per Friedricharuh or Friedrichsruh.

On 27 January 1920 he was admitted to the ships hospital with VD

Disembarked 12 March 1920. List No.392.

Confirmed for discharge at Sydney on 24 June 1920.

Discharged from the AIF in Sydney, medically unfit on 22 August 1920

Awarded all medals.

POST WW1

1922 - Australian Electoral Roll shows John Raven FOX and Thomas Alston FOX as banana growers of Cooroy, Queensland.

1934 - A prospecting expedition reached Mt Hagen with two burly Englishmen named Tom and Jack Fox. The Fox brothers were waiting at Mt Hagen for supplies which were being flown in from Salamaua at a cost of 2/6 per pound. Their cargo was only a side of bacon and two twenty-five pound tins of flour; with little more than this on their boys shoulders, the two Englishmen followed the Leahys’ track to Wabag and then went west to the Strickland River. They did not cross the river and proceed to the Sepik headwaters, but returned to Mt Hagen by way of the Tari valley and Mt Giluwe. The Foxes were identical twins and had identical fox-terrier dogs. “They were good blokes,” recalls Mick Leahy, “hard, tough Pommies; take nothing, give nothing.” When rumours reached Mt Hagen in December that the Foxes had been killed, Bob Gurney and Mick Leahy flew 130 miles over the new country without seeing any trace of them. Soon after this flight, however, the two emaciated prospectors and their sixteen boys walked into Mt Hagen. “We’ve been clear to the foot of the rainbow,” said Tom Fox to the Leahys, “and there is no pot of gold anywhere about. We have tried every creek from here to the Dutch border and couldn’t raise a colour. It’s limestone country mostly, rich soil in the valleys and plenty of natives, all of them full of beans and ready to fight, but there is not enough gold in the lot to fill a tooth!”New Guinea: The Last Unknown by Gavin Souter

1939 Feb 6 – Miners Right No.7763 issued to T A Fox at Salamaua.

WW2 Service No. P503 CMF. Rank WO II. ANGAU (Australian New Guinea Administration Unit).

1942 - Shareholder of Raub Australian Gold Mining Company Limited (400 shares), North Kalgurli (1912) Ltd (110 Shares), Upper Watut Gold Alluvials (1000 Shares). Feb 14 - Mobilization Attestation at Port Moresby, Papua on 14 February 1942. Age 50. Occupation: Plantation & Mining, Sepik District, New Guinea. Single. Religion: Non orthodox. Hair Grey. Eyes Hazel. Distinctive Marks: Small mole left chest.

1943 Jan 1 - Australian Army Medical Examination at Port Moresby. Commenced duty 14 February 1942 has been in Wewak area with no opportunity of obtaining basic documents until now. Promoted A/Sergeant. Jan 7 - Signed his Oath of Enlistment. Aug 30 - Promoted A/WOII.

1944 Oct 15 - Rank of WOII confirmed.

1945 May 24 - Medically classified B2 (overage).

Post War 1946 Apr 3 - Moved in from ANGAU for discharge. Apr 8 - Discharged at Lae due to general demobilisation.

After the war both boys were offered jobs with the Department of Agriculture and took them. Tom was at Eiyura [Aiyura] and John was at Corn [Korn] Farm. Whilst at Eiyura [Aiyura], Tom got sick with a sore neck. He was sent to Lae then Port Moresby. It was diagnosed that his neck was fractured. He caught pneumonia and died in Port Moresby, August 15th, 1952. It is said Thomas died following a fall from a horse.

Parents William and P E A Fox, 67 Windamere Avenue, Finchley, London.

Children:

Thomas and John Fox, twins born 1892.

FOX Thomas Alston (Twin)
FOX Thomas Alston (Twin)
FOX Thomas Alston (Twin)
Returned to Australia
22 January 1920
15 August 1952
Port Moresby - PNG

Photo: Christmas cricket team, Mogei Mission, Mount Hagen, New Guinea. 1934-1935, back row, Father Ross, Fox, Brother Eugene, Dan Leahy, Fox, and front row, Alexishafen natives [picture] / [A.J. Bearup].

Helene

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