Thomas William McGrouther (SN 22991) born at Nathalia, was resident in Ballarat and working as a postal employee when he enlisted on November 13th 1917. He had already trained for three years with Ballarat’s 70th Infantry before commencing his AIF training at Broadmeadows. He undertook further training at the Signals School at Seymour before embarking from Sydney aboard the Port Darwin on September 14th 1918. He disembarked at Suez on October 20th, just three weeks before the cessation of hostilities. He remained in Egypt for several months as a Signals Reinforcement. In January he was hospitalised with suspected malaria which ultimately proved to be gastro enteritis. He returned to Australia on the Malta, disembarked on August 7th 1919 and was discharged two weeks later. Tragically he fell ill and died in May 1920, just nine months after his discharge, his death attributed to appendicitis. He was 23 years of age.

Lucas’s Staffs Appreciation of Brave Men, the original Avenue register, records his name as Thomas W. McGrowther.