CONDON, Thomas

Thomas, the third of ten children, was born in Waterford, Ireland, to farmer Richard Condon and his wife Margaret. He came to Australia about 1914. When he enlisted on 12 January 1916, he was a twenty six year old single man working as a Farm Labourer at Mt. Russell west of Inverell.  Thomas was one of the 114 men of the First Contingent of The Kurrajongs.

As a Private with the 33rd Battalion, C Company, he trained at Armidale and Rutherford prior to sailing from Australia on HMAT A74 Marathon in May 1916. After further training with the 3rd Division in England his Battalion was sent to France in November. In July 1917 Thomas was wounded but soon rejoined his unit. By the end of the year he was ill with pleurisy and invalided to hospital in England.

Prior to his return to France he was given two weeks leave. During June 1918 he was injured again when he received a gunshot wound to his face and once more sent back to England for treatment. Prior to his return to Australia in October 1918, Thomas was granted two weeks Agricultural Leave.

Upon arrival home, he was given a Welcome Home at Mt. Russell where the residents presented him with a handsome inscribed gold medal.  After the War Thomas obtained a Soldier's Settlers farm near Griffith in southern NSW. Thomas lived the rest of his life here until his death in 1973.

Photo: Thomas standing back, left. Other men unknown, possibly Kurrajongs. Private Collection