Thomas Parkinson was born in Durham England in 1886. As stated by the Illawarra Remembers website, in “1906 he married Margaret Joyce. Thomas and Margaret came to Australia and were living in Corrimal, N.S.W., when their second son was born in 1911”.
Prior to enlistment Thomas was a miner and was a respected figure in the football community. He was secretary of the Tarrawanna Sweethearts S.C. and regularly attended South Coast British Football Association meetings. Additionally, he was a referee for local matches.
The Illawarra Remembers website details his service:
Thomas embarked from Melbourne on HMAT A62 Wandilla with the 3rd Pioneer Battalion, B Company, on 16th June 1916. He disembarked in England on 26th July 1916 and joined his unit in France on 24th November 1916. Thomas saw service on the Western Front and has no wounding on file. He was promoted to Lance Corporal on 8th July 1917 and then to Corporal on 25th May 1918. On 30th August 1918, soon after being promoted to Warrant Officer, he became the Company Quartermaster. Thomas returned to Australia in May 1919 and was discharged on 29th July 1919.
After the Great War Thomas moved his family to take up a mining role in Queensland. Tragically he died in 1921 as part of the Mt. Mulligan mining disaster where 74 men perished.