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Cenotaph record

Thomas Donovan

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Portrait, Auckland Weekly News 1915 - No known copyright restrictions

Portrait, Auckland Weekly News 1915 - No known copyright restrictions

Identity

About

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  • Title
  • Forenames
    Thomas AWMM
  • Surname
    Donovan AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
  • Service number
    WWI 12/182 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
  • Religion
    Catholic, Christian AWMM

Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
    5 February 1893 AWMM Melbourne, Victoria AWMM
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
    Pre 1914 AWMM Care of James, Whangarei, North Auckland, New Zealand AWMM
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
    Thomas Donovan (father), Frankton Junction, New Zealand AWMM
  • Relationship status
    Pre 16 October 1914 AWMM Single AWMM

Service

Wars and conflicts

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  • War
    World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM
  • Campaign
    • 1914-1916 Egypt AWMM
    • 1915-1916 Gallipoli AWMM
    • 1915-1916 Gallipoli AWMM
  • Armed force / branch
    Army AWMM
  • Service number
    WWI 12/182 AWMM
  • Military service
  • Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers

Military decorations

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Training and Enlistment

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  • Military training
  • Branch Trade Proficiency
  • Enlistment
    WW1 1914 AWMM
    Age 21 AWMM
    Tailor/Civilian AWMM
    AWMM
  • Occupation before enlistment
  • Age on enlistment

Embarkations

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Prisoner of war

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  • Capture details
  • Days interned
  • Liberation date
  • Liberation Repatriation
  • POW liberation details
  • POW serial number

Medical history

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  • Medical notes
    • Height, Unknown Period AWMM
      5 foot 7 inches AWMM
    • Weight, Unknown Period AWMM
      9 stone 12 pounds AWMM
    • Complexion, Unknown Period AWMM
      Dark AWMM
    • Eye colour, Unknown Period AWMM
      Blue AWMM
    • Hair colour, Unknown Period AWMM
      Dark AWMM
    • Killed in Action, Cause of Death AWMM

Last known rank

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Biographical information

Biographical information

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    • Son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Donovan of Ulster St., Hamilton. AWMM
    • Full name Thomas Daniel Radford DONOVAN, born North Fitzroy, Melbourne, educated South Preston state School, Melbourne. Parents : Thomas and Carol Eliza Donovan (nee Dredge)

      Donovan remains a strange omission from the Australian war Memorial commemorative Roll of Australians who died in the service of other countries, but there were a number of references to his fate around his original home in Preston, Victoria

      A letter to the Preston (Melbourne) Leader early in 1921 confirms both the family's origins and perhaps why Donovan was serving as a bandsman. The letter was from Thomas senior and forwarded from Hamilton, New Zealand; in the letter, Donovan expressed his delight at the re-formation after a number of years of the Preston Citizen's Band, and as well as wishing them "a long life", Donovan concluded by passing on his best wishes to "all my fellow old members of the band".

      Thomas had three siblings, two brothers Stanley (born 1893, A.I.F., returned wounded September, 1917) and Walter (1897), and a sister, Victoria (1901). Stanley's enlistment clouds the waters a little - he gave both his and his father's address as at 41 Raleigh Street, Northcote when Stanley enlisted.

      DEATH NOTICE Preston (Melbourne) Leader, 10 uly, 1915 :

      THOMAS RADFORD DONOVAN, aged 23, native of Preston, killed in action at the Dardanelles, 5th May, 1915; nephew of Mrs F. Pittard, Mrs, G. Glanfield, and James Donovan.
      --Inserted by his uncle, Frank Donovan. Public - Brian - Researcher - 26 May 2016 - DEATH NOTICE : Preston Leader, 10 July, 1915 http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/92075188
      REPORT : Preston Leader, 10 July, 1915 http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/92075198
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Death

About death

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  • Death
    5 May 1915 AWMM
    Gallipoli, Turkey AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
    Killed in Action AWMM
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name
    • Lone Pine Memorial, Lone Pine Cemetery, Anzac, Turkey AWMM
    • Hamilton Memorial Park, Memorial Drive, Hamilton East, 3216 AWMM
    • Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War 1 Hall of Memories AWMM

Roll of Honour

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Leave a tribute or memory of Thomas Donovan

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  • You were my father’s older brother. We never met you. Thank you for giving your life in the war.
    Bruce Donovan and Hobart descendents
    Public - Bruce edward - Direct descendant - 23 April 2020
    Report 

Sources

Sources

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Contributors

Command item
Command item
Add new record Refresh
DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact
29 August 2021Ian BanksTaumarunui New ZealandResearcher
23 April 2020Bruce edwardHobart. Tasmania. AustraliaDirect descendant

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