Kings Reg transferd to Australia

[tsumi]

Good afternoon everyone,
I am researching a distant relative Thomas Banks Rich, born 1891/1915,Liverpool,Lancashire,I found he was in the Territorial Force,5th Kings, Liverpool, Lancashire, he had emigrated in 1915 to Liverpool, New South Wales, more investigation to try and find the ship he emigrated on produced he had travelled to Australia on The Troopship HMAT Suevic , berthed at Liverpool ,UK,in 1915 . I am wondering what was the Australian troopship doing docked there ,was it on a recruitment drive ,or did Thomas make enquiries himself and subsequently joined the Australian Army, only to get killed August 1915.Very sad.
Many thanks for your time reading this.
Tsumi

Name amended MA

[JohnnyO]

I saw this on one site: Suevic did make one dedicated war run, in March 1915, carrying British troops to Moudros, as a part of the Dardanelles Campaign.

More here https://www.flotilla-australia.com/hmat2.htm#A29

[retiringtype]

Is that the right name? I can't find any trace of a Thomas Banks Rice having existed (other than newspaper reports of a death of a Yorkshire farmer in 1909); there is no Thomas Rice killed in August 1915 on CWGC; there is no Thomas Rice born Liverpool in the Australian Imperial Force records.

[tsumi]

Retiring type,I had to dig deep on the Australian National Archives to find him and he is listed as Thomas Rich,(Your story your search) on record research, age and place of birth all correct. I have to admit the other Thomas Rich kept popping up age 43 and a farmer. My Thomas B Rich is also on the CWGC same in depth search needed to find him.The Australian archives give more details of his short service life.
Johnnyo, Thomas was killed when he was fighting in the Dardanelles Campaign ,between August 6+9 1915.
It is a mystery to me though how he was on board the Suevic when he emigrated, because it gives a later date on his application to join the Australian Army after landing in Sydney.
Many thanks for your interest and help .
Tsumi

[retiringtype]

The one who died in 1909 was actually Thomas Banks of Rice Hill Farm, not Thomas Banks Rice of Hill Farm as reported in the newspapers.

I still can't find your man in Australian military records or in CWGC. What was his service number?

[tsumi]

Sorry all the surname is Rich, automatic typo, number is 2014, RICH Thomas : Service Number - 2014 : Place of Birth - Liverpool England : Place of Enlistment - Liverpool NSW : Next of Kin - (Father) RICH Henry B
Contents date range
1914 - 1920.
Tsumi

[retiringtype]

With the correct name it was easy to find his AIF records (51 images) and having read through them it is very clear to me that he must have gone to Australia before 1915.

He enlisted in Liverpool, New South Wales, in January 1915. He had been in Australia long enough to have been a "First Lieutenant 31B Leichardt" a position from which he had resigned. He was co-executor of someone's estate in New South Wales. He had left personal effects behind in accommodation in Sydney.

[retiringtype]

Thomas Rich was co-executor of the estate of Charles Thomas. Correspondence with the other co-executor Charles Thomas Williams (who was also the executor of Thomas Rich) is on Thomas Rich's AIF file. The legal notice below is from the Sydney Morning Herald of 5 February 1914 and firmly places Thomas Rich as already in Australia at that time.
https://goo.gl/u12C6B

[retiringtype]

I can see a T Rich, 19, born Liverpool, on the SS Suevic passenger list from Liverpool to Sydney, arrived April 1911. So I would say that your research thus far has led you to some very doubtful conclusions!

[tsumi]

Retiring type ,please explain what the doubtful conclusions you say are.Tsumi.

[retiringtype]

Doubtful conclusions: the premise of your original post was that he had emigrated to Australia from Liverpool on the troopship Suevic in 1915. However the records show that he was already in Australia well before 1915. He enlisted in the army in Australia in January 1915 and embarked on the troopship Kyarra in April 1915 on the journey that took him to the Dardanelles. Passenger records suggest that he had emigrated to Australia on the SS Suevic (which was not a troopship at that time) in April 1911.

[retiringtype]

There was a T Rich of the right age, born Liverpool, who was a steward on the Suevic in 1911/12.

[retiringtype]

"WALTON HERO'S DEATH.
News has been received by Mr. Henry Rich, 12, Cowley-road, Walton, Liverpool, that his son Private Thomas Rich, of the 3rd Battalion Australian Imperial Force, has been killed in action at Gallipoli, between the 7th and 12th August. Private Rich went to Australia about four years ago, and on the outbreak of war joined the Australian Infantry. Accompanying the intimation of his death was a message of condolence from the King and Queen."

(Evening Express 25th September 1915)

http://www.merseysiderollofhonour.co.uk ... 604312.php

[tsumi]

Retiringtype, Thank you very much for the updates, your eyes are definitely better than mine transcribing all the written records, should have asked earlier for help . Many thanks for "sticking with it".Tsumi

[retiringtype]

Posting some cuttings from Sydney newspapers. Let me know if you need source information

[tsumi]

Retiring type, thank you so much for the newspaper additions you are very kind, that was my next task and yes please I would like to have the source info. Again many thanks Tsumi

[retiringtype]

OK.
The tribute placed by CT Williams and Mrs Thomas is from the Sydney Morning Herald, 9 August 1916 ( CT Williams was co-executor, with Thomas Rich, of Charles Thomas’ will).
The one from Daisy Wright is from the same paper, 5 August 1916 (she placed similar notices in 1917 and 1918).
The one from Mrs Bambury is also from the SMH, 24 September 1915 ( there are 2 letters from her in the AIF file).
The photo is from the SMH, 13 September 1915, “Heroes of the Dardanelles”.

[tsumi]

Many thanks once again for your kindness and time. Cheers Tsumi