Biography

John Thomas had spent 6 years in Queensland before arriving in Western Australia with his parents and younger siblings. He enlisted on 11 January 1916 at Eidsvold, Queensland, listing his trade as an engineer's fitter. He joined the 5th Reinforcements of the 4th Field Company Engineers. He was wounded early in his service and in 1918 received a "through and through" (bullet went straight through the arm, in and out the other side) machine gun bullet wound to the upper portion of the forearm of his left arm, from which he suffered temporary loss of sensation but the wound improved greatly according to his records. Having been promoted to Lance Corporal, John Thomas returned to Australia on 4 June 1919. Interestingly, the Family Notice inserted in the West Australian on Friday 13 October 1922 by his mother, states that he was gassed during the war. There is no direct reference to this in his service record.

The deceased's parents, John Adam Leipold and Amelia Black, were married in Queensland on 24 December 1889 (Marriage Registration 1889/C/203). John Thomas was their first child, the first of their three sons and seven daughters.