2nd Lieutenant Thomas James Mainard, 8th Battalion, AIF.

2nd Lieutenant Thomas James Mainard, 8th Battalion, AIF

28th August 1914, Enlisted at Winton, VIC and was placed in ‘G’ Company. He was a 26 year old widower with a 3 year old daughter, Miss Marjory Ethel Mainard, c/o Mrs. R Warnock, Winton P.O. Victoria.
His job is listed as a Labourer.

He was 5’ 9” tall, weighed 11st 12lbs, had grey eyes and Black hair.

19th October 1914 he embarked on the ‘Benalla.’

10th May 1915 he was admitted to 1st AGH at Heliopolis
23rd June 1915 he rejoined the Battalion.
6th August 1915 he was treated for ‘Shell-shock’ recorded as ‘wounded’.
8th August he rejoined the battalion.
28th August 1915 he was appointed Lance-Corporal
30th August 1915 he was admitted as sick
10th September 1915 he was transferred to St Patrick’s Hospital in Malta with Diarrhea.
24th September 1915 transferred to Ghain Tuffieha.
22nd October 1915 he rejoined the battalion.
26th November appointed Temporary Corporal.
27th December 1915 appointed Lance Sergeant.
7th February 1916 appointed Sergeant Boot-maker Serapeum.
22nd April 1916 Reported as sick.
10th May 1916 rejoined Battalion.
7th November 1916 sick in the field with Myalgia.
4th December 1916 rejoined Battalion.
23rd February 1917 sick with Mumps Orchitis and gum disease.
10th March 1917 discharged from Hospital.
4th June 1917 Transferred to the Cadet Training School northern England.
7th June 1917 at 4th Officer Training Cadet Battalion at Oxford.
28th September 1917 Commissioned to 2nd Lieutenant and posted.
14th October 1917 proceeded to France.
18th October 1917 from 1st A.D.B.D to the Battalion 2 days later.


On the 25th October 1917 he was killed in action aged 29.

In a letter dated 13th November 1919, to his daughter:

“Madam,
your father, the late 2nd Lieutenant T.J.Mainard, 8th Battalion, he was killed in action on 25th October 1917, by burst of a shell while holding the line south of Passchendaele, Belgium and was buried 700 yards South West of Zonnebeke, Belgium.
In cases where members of the Australian Imperial Force have been buried in isolated graves their remains will be exhumed and re-interred in the nearest military cemetery. This work is carried out with every measure of care and reverence in the presence of a chaplain.”

The official record of the 8th Battalion:

“2nd lieutenant T J Mainard was killed by the burst of a shell holding the line 700 yards South West of Zonnebeke.” (Major R.R. Wallis, 8th Battalion, AIF).


He is buried in Tyne Cot Cemetery Passchendaele .

Source : National Archives of Australia