16th Garrison Battalion Hay NSW

[lucybella]

Thank you all for your replies.

Thomas served through  WW1 and saw 'real' war action in France. I have located his medal cards.  His brother James died on the beach at Gallipoli 1915, and another brother lost too, it seems.   I really doubt he 'deserted' what was a peaceful prisoner of war camp!!

He would have contacted his family had he been ok.  There is no death certificate, or grave, and he never returned to Ireland. 

He was  awl for a few days in Sydney, and confined to barracks once for drinking.  That implies he may have at that stage have had an alcohol problem - many who lived through the horrors of WW1 had...

I think the 'stolen' property referred to was probably his uniform - which was never found as was his body never found!

Thanks anyway
Lucy

[cando]

Hi Lucy

As I mentioned on the linked thread, I don't know how you are going to find any record of your man. 

You don't know he deserted a 'peaceful prisoner of war camp'.  He also used forged documents in Sydney when he went AWOL.  I can't remember the actual wording on his service record.

Have you followed up any of the leads given you in the linked thread eg. transcription of death cert suggested by Jamjar, the burial record in Alice Springs in 1963 for a RODGERS but no given name?

Have you requested a lookup on the fiche for deaths in Queensland to 1963? 

I am sorry but I don't feel I can assist you any further.  Perhaps someone else may have some ideas.

Cheers
Cando