The legacy of Robyn Leach’s great uncle lives on through the inclusion of his photograph and name on an honour board in Williamstown.
Adam Bain Thomson was a World War I soldier, who first fought in the Dardanelles at Gallipoli, where he was shot in the shoulder and wounded.
He was later sent to Cairo, and ended up in Marseille, France, where he died aged just 29.
“It was at 2pm on February 16 in 1917,” Ms Leach said. “He was accidentally killed in action”.
ADAM BAIN THOMSON
The Werribee resident remembers hearing stories about her great uncle as she was growing up.
“My father spoke about him a lot,” she said. “I’m very proud to have had an ancestor who fought in the war. I’ve done a fair bit of research on him and, following his story, I’ve developed a personal connection.
“I now feel like I really know who he was.”
She has tracked down copies of his diary, and read about the time he spent with the ambulance, taking the injured to boats returning home.
The Sons of Williamstown Honour Board features 1800 local men who enlisted in World War I. The board came about after former councillor William Henderson collected portraits of the men from between 1917 and 1924.
“It’s a great way to remember the people who fought for us,” Ms Leach said.
Hobsons Bay council is running a talk and tour of the honour board at Williamstown town hall on April 28.
RSVP: arts@hobsonsbay.gov.au
