Thomas’ occupation and marital status upon enlistment, was detailed as a butcher, who was married.
- Date of Birth – 27 December 19041NSW Birth Death and Marriages, https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/ Birth – 1762/1905 Parents William and Elizabeth, Registered in Braidwood Accessed 15 October 2026.
- Parents – He was the son of William and Elizabeth Ann Ebzery, and the husband of Patricia Mary Ebzery, nee Thomson of Narooma, NSW.2Australian War Memorial https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C333705 Accessed 15 October 2026.
- Enlisted – 20 June 1940, Paddington, New South Wales.3Australian War Memorial https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1709738 and https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P10313040 Accessed 15 October 2026.
- Regimental Number – NX330244National Archives of Australia. https://www.naa.gov.au/. NAA: B883, Item ID – 4624433, Accessed 15 October 2026.
- Aged at embarkation – 35.5Department of Veteran’s Affairs Nominal roll https://nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au/veteran?id=151341&c=WW2#R Accessed 15 October 2026.
- Military service – Royal Australian Artillery, 2nd/15th Field Regiment, Rank – Bombardier6Virtual War Memorial Australia, https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/626860. Accessed 15 October 2026.
- Serving in Singapore and the Malayan Campaign before being captured after the Fall of Singapore.
- Thomas was listed as missing in April 1942 and as a Prisoner of War in March 1943.
- Died aged 40 on 5 June 1945 in Borneo.7Find a Grave.com. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/20345383/thomas-ebzery. Thomas Ebzery’s name is located at panel 15 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra.
- Commemorated at Labuan Memorial, Labuan, Malaysia8Commonwealth War graves. https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2561723/thomas-ebzery/ Accessed 15 October 2026.
The Ebzery family were long standing Araluen residents. Thomas’ grandfather Benjamin Ebzery (1833-1921) is listed as a miner in the Greville’s Post Office Directory9Greville’s Official Post Office Directory for 1875-1876 https://www.ihr.com.au/secure/html/greville75.html. Accessed 15 October 2026. in 1875 in Burketown, Araluen. Benjamin who arrived in Australia from Ireland in 1857 and married Bridget Lorigan (1942-1915) who was also from Ireland, in 1861 in Braidwood.
In August 1875 the Manaro Mercury10Manaro Mercury, and Cooma and Bombala Advertiser (NSW : 1862-1931), Saturday 7 August 1875, p 3. reported ‘On Wednesday afternoon Benjamin Ebzery, of Burketown, Araluen, whilst riding along the Goulburn Road to his work with Barrett’s party, near the Doughboy, met with an accident when near Six-mile Flat … He remounted and returned to Braidwood as quickly as he could to procure medical advice from Dr. Llewellyn, who … had to put in numerous stitches to bring the edges of the wound together, which is rather a difficult operation, in consequence of the constant motion or blinking of the eyelid. Ebzery has gone to stay for a few days with a friend at Monkittee in order to be near the doctor.’
Thomas was the youngest son of William Ebzery (1861-1937) and Elizabeth Ann Smith, (1862-1936) who had nine children following their marriage in 1886. William (1886-1973), Annie E. (1888-1889), Agnes Rose (1890-1976), John Alfred (1892-1975), Benjamin Thomas (1895-1972), May Elizabeth (1897-1996), Edward (1899-1977), Amy (1902-1902) and Thomas (1904-1944). The 1903 electoral roll shows Elizabeth Ann Ebzery at Lower Araluen, and lists William and his eldest son William as miners at Mudmelong.
Thomas’ brother Edward (1899-1977) served in WWI. Edward Ebzery: Service Number – 65979: Place of Birth – Araluen NSW: Place of Enlistment – Hurstville, Sydney NSW: Next of Kin – (Father) Ebzery William. Edward enlisted on 5 March 1918, noted as single, aged 18, with his occupation given as a blacksmith. His unit embarked from Sydney, on board HMAT A41 Bakara on 4 September 1918. Edward served with the 16th to 27th (NSW) Reinforcement and returned to Australia on 23 July 1919.11National Archives of Australia. https://www.naa.gov.au/. NAA: B883, Ebzery E, Item ID– 4624433, Accessed 16 October 2026.
Thomas married Patricia Mary Thomson (1909-1979) in 1933 in Moruya with the 1934 Electoral Roll showing Thomas a labourer, and Patricia residing in Narooma. Their children include two daughters Annette and Jennifer.
In June 1940 the Bega District News12Bega District News (NSW : 1923-1955), Thursday 20 June 1940, p 5. advised in a article titled ‘To the Colors’ that ‘The following additional recruits left Bega for Sydney yesterday, and were farewelled and entertained by the V.A.D. … T. Ebzery, Narooma.
In the names of 649 Australian soldiers reported missing, printed in yesterday’s “S.M. Herald,” appear the following: — … T. Ebzery, Narooma;’ the Bega News13Bega District News (NSW : 1923-1955), Thursday 16 July 1942, p 2. reported in July 1942.
Thomas was one of over 2000 Allied prisoners of war (POW) held in the Sandakan POW camp in north Borneo, having been transferred there from Singapore as a part of B Force. The 1494, POW’s that made up B Force, were transported from Changi on 7 July 1942 on board the tramp ship Ubi Maru, arriving in Sandakan Harbour on 18 July 1942.14Australian War Memorial https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C333705 Accessed 15 October 2026.
Bombardier Thomas Ebzery, aged 40, died as a prisoner of war on 5 June 1945. A total of 556 personnel from the 2/15th were captured; they would spend three-and-a-half years in Japanese captivity, with more than half, 294 men succumbing to the systematic overwork, brutality and malnourishment inflicted upon them by their Japanese captors.15Virtual War Memorial Australia, https://vwma.org.au/explore/units/821 Accessed 15 October 2026.
A notice was placed in the Sydney Morning Herald16Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842-1954), Friday 6 June 1947, p 18. in June 1947 stating ‘Ebzery -Loving memories of our darling daddy and my husband NX33024 Bdr Thomas Ebzrery 8th Div 2/15 F Reg passed away June 5 1945 POW camp Sandakan, Borneo. Sadly missed lovingly remembered. By his loving daughters Annette, Jennifer, and wife Pat, Narooma’.
