8th Infantry Battalion
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Thomas Lewis MM (SN 299) born at Snake Valley, was a 30 year old labourer when he enlisted in Ballarat on August 17th 1914. With the 8th Infantry Battalion, he embarked aboard the Benalla on October 19th and sailed to Egypt before taking part in the Gallipoli landing on April 25th 1915. In August he was evacuated from Gallipoli due to illness. His service for the next two years was interrupted on several occasions by various illnesses but his gallantry in 1916 earned for him the Military Medal (no details in his service record). In August 1918 he was wounded, unspecified, then was granted ‘special 1914 leave’. He returned to Australia aboard the Port Hacking, disembarked at Melbourne on January 27th 1919 and was discharged on March 28th.
