Just Another Pair Of Socks

Melton District ANZACS

Thomas Stanley Pryse EXELL

Personal

Born: 1893

Birth registration: Victorian Births, Deaths & Marriages Registration No. 32029

Birthplace: Glenloth, Victoria

Parents: George Exell, (1854 born Indented Heads -1941 died Bacchus Marsh); Mary Jane (Jennie) Pryse

Died: 30 November, 1917

Cause: Died Of Wounds

Place of death: Cairo, Egypt

Burial place: British Cemetery Cairo Egypt, Grave # 41, Section C

Awards and Honours

  • British War Medal 1914-20
  • Victory Medal
  • 1914-1918 Memorial Plaque

Battalions

3rd Anzac Battalion; 1st Camel Brigade, 12 Company

Events

Enlistment

Regimental Service Number: 2758

Enlistment date: 2 September, 1917 Albury, NSW

Age at enlistment: 23 years 4 months

Address at enlistment: Postal: Melton Railway Station

Religion: Presbyterian

Marital Status: Married

Next of kin: Mrs Clara Jane Exell, 93 Leopold St., South Yarra;
73 Nimmo St., Middle Park (home of George Stanley Exell)

Physical Description: Height: 5 feet 9 inches
Weight: 168 pounds.
Complexion: Bronzed
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Fair
Distinctive marks: Scars right arm, left knee; tattoo scull - right arm

Embarkation ship: A 15 Port Sydney.

Rank: Trooper

War Service Summary

20/06/1917 - Suez
16/07/1917  Abbassia    06/09/1917 - Egyptian Expeditionary Force
06/11/1917 - Wounded in field; gunshot wound to the neck.
09/11/1917 - Reported as gun shot wound chest
10/11/1917 - Transferred to ambulance train
22/11/1917 - Reported dangerously ill 30/11/1917 - Died of Gun Shot Wound to the chest 

War Service Commemerated

Killed in action.

Date: 30 November, 1917

09/11/1917 Gun shot wound chest. Admitted 65 CCS. 30/11/1917 Died GSW Chest, Haemothorax 01/12/1917 Buried by Chaplain R.M. Legate in British Cemetery Cairo, Grave # 41, Section C, Cairo War Memorial Cemetery - (see Commonwealth War Graves Commission) 

 Red Cross Record: "He was a fine big fair fellow He was a very popular fellow with his Company. It was just after the fall of Beersheba and we were going in to attack on the 5th November and he was hit by a bullet. He was then sent down to the 14th Australian General Hospital, Cairo." Trooper Meyers 3067 15th Light Horse late Camel Corps

Additional Information

Melton Express

On Tuesday evening last Mrs. Jane Pryse, mother of Mrs. G. Exell, passed away, at the ripe old age of 98 years. She was buried at Wycheproof, and the funeral arrangements were in the hands of Mr. A. Shebler.

Melton Express
Saturday 8 December 1917 p 2
And

The Bacchus Marsh Express
Saturday 8 December 1917 p 2
DEATH.
On Active Service.
EXELL Died of wounds, in Palestine, Tom, aged 21 years, dearly loved son of George and M. J. Exell, of Melton, and brother of Percy and Joe (wounded, on Active Service), Austin (97 Elizabeth street), Leslie (Whittlesea), and Willie (Melton), loved husband of Clara, and daddy of little Georgie.
{Note: Error in age appeared in the notice. Tom was 24 when he died.}

Melton Express
Saturday 15 December 1917 p 2
Much regret was felt throughout the district on receipt of the news of the death on Active Service of Pte. Thomas Exell, the youngest of three soldier sons (one of whom has been wounded) of. Mr. and Mrs. George Exell, of Melton South, for whom much sympathy is felt.

Melton Express
Saturday 30 November 1918 , P 2
And
The Bacchus Marsh Express
Saturday 30 November 1918 , P 2

On Active Service.
EXELL. - In loving memory of our dear son, Trooper Thomas Stanley Pryse Exell (Tom) who died of wounds received in Palestine, 30th Nov., 1917.
Thy will be done.
Inserted by his loving parents, Melton.

EXELL.-In memory of my dear pal, Pte. Tom Exell, who died of wounds, in Palestine, on Nov. 30th, 1917.
Ever remembered.
Inserted by his pal, Jim Masterson,
Melton.

The Argus
Saturday 4 December 1920 p 11

IN MEMORIAM.
On Active Service.
EXELL. - In loving memory of my dear husband, Thomas, Stanley Exell, who died 30th November, 1917, from wounds received in Palestine.
To memory ever dear.

The Argus
Wednesday 30 November 1921, P 1

IN MEMORIAM.
On Active Service.
EXELL.In loving memory of my dear husband, Thomas Stanley Exell, who died 30th November, 1917, of wounds received in Palestine.
To memory ever dear.

EXELL.In sad and loving memory of our dear son and brother, Thomas Stanley Pryse Exell, who died on 30th November, 1917, from wounds received in Palestine; aged 24 years. Keep on, loved one, in a soldier's grave; Your life for your country you nobly gave; No dear ones were near to say "Good-bye," But safe in God's keeping you safely lie. When the shadows are falling soft and still, And the heat of the day is done, I see through the dusk, as a mother will, The face of her darling son. Our loved one is sleeping his last long sleep And his grave I may never see, But some gentle hand in that distant land May plant a small flower for me.
(Inserted by his loving father, mother, and brothers, Melton.)

The Argus
Friday 30 November 1923 p 1

IN MEMORIAM.
On Active Service.
EXELL.In sad and loving memory of our dear son and brother Thomas Stanley Pryse Exell (Tom) who died on 30th November 1917 fromwounds received in Palestine, aged 24 years. (Inserted by his loving father, mother and brothers, Melton South)

The Argus
Saturday 29 November 1924, P 17
IN MEMORIAM.
On Active Service.
EXELL.In sad and loving memory of our dear son and brother, Thomas Stanley Pryse Exell (Tom), who died on 30th November, 1917, at Cairo, from wounds received in Palestine, aged 24 years. (Inserted by his loving father, mother, and brothers, Melton South.)

Sources

Australian War Memorial
Service Record
Nominal Roll
Newspapers