Born at Manning River (greater Taree) in 1880 to Richard and Mary (nee Conelly), Thomas Joseph Ferris was the sixth of their eight children.
Described as a labourer, Thomas enlisted at Newcastle with the 3rd Reinforcements, 30th Battalion on the 21st of August 1915, aged 35 years and 4 months. Tom’s enlistment papers show his next of kin as his father of ‘The Nook’ Cabramatta in Sydney.
Thomas married Edith Kate Rudkin of Giro Station in the Gloucester district at Waverley, Sydney in 1916 before embarking aboard the ‘HMAT A70 Ballarat’ on the 18th of February 1916. Arriving at Suez on the 23rd of March, he joined the 8th Training Battalion at Zeitoun and on the 1st of April Tom left the 8th Training Battalion and was taken on strength with the 30th Battalion at Ferry Post. On the 16th of June 1916 he embarked aboard the ‘HMAT A20 Horrorata’ at Alexandria arriving at Marseilles on the 23rd.
The battalion’s first major action came at Fromelles on the 19th of July 1916 where they were initially tasked to provide a supporting role, carrying ammunition to the assault troops, however as the Australian situation deteriorated, they were committed to the battle. During that commitment on the 20th of July, Tom was ‘Wounded in Action’ and admitted to the 25th General Hospital with a gunshot wound to the right thigh. On the 1st of August he boarded the ‘HS Jan Breydel’ at Bologne and after arriving in the UK was taken to the Northumberland War Hospital, Gosforth. One month later he was transferred to the 1st Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield. On the 6th of September Tom was taken on strength at the 2nd Comm Depot at Hurdcott. After 14 days leave, he proceeded overseas on the 14th of October, arriving at the 5th ADBD at Etaples on the 16th.
Meanwhile, after the battle at Fromelles in July, the 30th Battalion were employed in mainly defensive duties holding parts of the line for the rest of 1916. It was here Tom proceeded to join them there on the 24th of October, arriving at his unit two days later. On the 17th of November Tom reported to the 8th Australian Field Ambulance and was treated for a dental issue. He was released back to his unit on the 15th of January 1917.
In early 1917, after the Germans withdrew to the Hindenburg Line to shorten their lines, the Australian units conducted a brief advance to follow them up, during which the 30th Battalion entered Bapaume. After this, for the remainder of the year the battalion had a relatively quiet time but nevertheless took part in two main engagements—the disastrous attack on Bullecourt in mid-April, where the Australians planned to attack the Hindenburg Line near the village but were forced back and Polygon Wood. The action took place from 26 September to 3 October. Fought near Ypres in Belgium in the area from the Menin Road to Polygon Wood and thence north, to the area beyond St Julien. In both these battles the 30th Battalion were employed mainly in flank protection. As the year closed however Thomas was ‘Killed in Action’ in Belgium on the 7th of December 1917.
