Thomas Henry Bantoft was born on 8 December 1894 in Chillesford, Suffolk, the son of Alice Eliza Bantoff (1868-1939). His birth was registered in the 1st quarter of 1895 in the Plomesgate registration district, Suffolk. His mother married William Reeve (1866-1947) in the 3rd quarter of 1898 in the Plomesgate registration district.
The 1901 census shows him living near Rookery Farm, Eyke, Suffolk, in the home of his maternal grandfather, William Reeve (1837-1917), together with his mother, his stepfather and stepbrother, Herbert Ernest Reeve (1899-1970). His grandfather was described as a shepherd and his stepfather as a horseman on farm.
He is described as a horseman on farm in the 1911 census residing in four roomed property called Sink Cottage, Ufford Road, Eyke, Suffolk, with his mother and stepfather, together with four stepbrothers: Herbert Ernest Reeve; Wesley William Reeve (1901-1936); Percy Reeve (1904-1967) and John William Reeve (1908-1982). His stepfather was also shown as a horseman on farm.
On 27 July 1911 in Liverpool, Lancashire, he embarked as a 3rd class passenger aboard the S.S. Persic of the White Star Line on a six week journey to Albany, Western Australia.
He enlisted in Moora, Western Australia on 16 February 1915 and was transferred to the 3rd Australian Light Horse Regiment, service number 1003. He embarked from Fremantle, WA on the HMAT Karoola on 25 June 1915 with the 10th Light Horse Regiment, 6th reinforcements. Our Picture Source gives access to all 58 pages of his service file at the National Achieves of Australia. These show how he was transferred to the Imperial Camel Corps, was promoted to the rank of Corporal, was convicted of assaulting a Lance Corporal, reduced to the ranks and imprisoned for one year with hard labour.
The Australian Red Cross Society Wounded and Missing Bureau Files show that he was fighting in Amman, Jordan, when he was killed in action by a bullet to his forehead, aged 23 years, on 28 March 1918 whilst attached to the 4th Battalion of the Imperial Camel Corps. His body was unable to be recovered and as he now has no known grave he is commemorated on Panel 59 of the Jerusalem Memorial in the Jerusalem War Cemetery.
He is shown as T. Bantoft, Pte., Australian Contingent, 4th Battalion on the Imperial Camel Corps war memorial in Victoria Embankment Gardens, London, WC2; as Trooper Thomas Bantoft on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website and as Thomas Bantoft on the Imperial War Museum's Lives of the First World War website.
He is also commemorated on Panel 10 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Treloar Crescent, Canberra, 2612, Australia; on the Bindi Bindi War Memorial, Tooday Road, Bindi Bindi, Moora, Western Australia; on the Kings Park 10th Light Horse Regiment Memorial, Kings Park & Botanic Garden, Fraser Avenue, Kings Park, Western Australia; on the Moora WWI Honour Wall, Centenary Park, Gardiner & Clinch Streets, Moora, Western Australia and on the Moora War Memorial, Clinch Street, Moora, Western Australia.
He is also remembered on the Eyke War Memorial which is situated inside All Saints Church, The Street, Eyke, IP12 2QN and takes the form of carving in the oak wood reredos behind the altar; in their Book of Remembrance that records all those from the parish who served in WW1 and on their Scroll of Honour listing those who died.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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