Thomas John Mullen
24 May 1890 - 5 April 1923
Thomas John Mullen (10‑50‑39)
Born in Bundaberg and enlisted age 25 and fought in the 26th infantry battalion. Thomas married after returning from war but no children, presumably because he caught mumps soon after arriving in England in October 1916. Fought in France and Belgium. Had bronchitis, dental issues and trench fever. He was wounded in action (gassed) in November 1916. Then in Belgium he had a gun shot wound (GSW) to an eye and ear. Later he was admitted to hospital for gas poisoning after being gassed again and with shell shock then dangerously ill with influenza. Finally returned to Australia in April 1919. It was written on his discharged papers that he had ‘nil incapacity’ although he did get a pension from 1922 onwards but died a year later. He lived in Bundaberg and when he became ill moved to Rosemount Hospital in Brisbane.
He died aged 33 from tuberculosis in a care home called Ardoyne at Corinda where many soldiers with lung complaints died and his file said ‘the deceased had no relatives although a friend used to visit him occasionally”. No next of kin (unsure what happened to his wife), died suddenly, so no condolence letter to be sent to anyone.
Group portrait of the 26th Australian Infantry Battalion at Enoggera Military Training Camp, Brisbane, 1915 - State Library of Queensland.