TODD, Thomas William

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Category: Local Heroes WW2

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Thomas William Todd

Able Seaman Thomas William Todd was born at Glanville and resided with his wife and son at Rosewater at the time of his death. So, not only was he a South Australian but also came from the western suburbs of Adelaide. At the time, he was serving at HMAS TORRENS (later HMAS ENCOUNTER), the Naval Headquarters of SA at Birkenhead.

Able Seaman Thomas William Todd

The 14th of July marks the anniversary of the only South Australian was killed on South Australian soil by enemy action. The deaths of Able Seamen T W Todd (a South Australian) and W L E Danswan (Junee NSW) were both killed when a German mine exploded during an attempt to render it safe on the beach at Beachport, South Australia in July 1941.

A copy of an article WERE THEY THE FIRST? by the late Commander Robin Pennock RAN published in ‘WARTIME’ Issue No. 20 pp 44-45) states that the German sea raider PINGUIN (HK33) and auxiliary minelayer PASSAT mined the approaches to the Australian east coast ports and Adelaide in late 1940. Two minefields closed off Spencer Gulf and Gulf St Vincent. During the night of 7-8 November PASSAT laid a minefield across 10 miles of Backstairs Passage using the lighthouses at Cape Willoughby and Cape Jervis (both fully operational) as accurate navigational aids.

The passenger/cargo vessel HERTFORD, the first ship to be mined on 7 December, was towed stern first into Port Lincoln for temporary repairs so that she could proceed to Sydney.

On 12 July 1941 a mine found floating in Rivoli Bay near Beachport by a local fisherman was towed to shore near the town jetty. Subsequently he towed it away from the jetty and left it on the beach.

A Mine Disposal party, dispatched from Adelaide Naval Headquarters, comprising an officer and Able Seamen Todd and Danswan decided to fit a demolition charge to the mine and fire it from the safety of the sandhills. Unfortunately a railway truck severed their wires and new ones had to be fitted. These did not function properly: After waiting the regulation 15 minutes Todd and Danswan approached the mine which exploded unexpectedly when one of its horns was activated by wave action.

In all some 40 moored mines from these minefields were washed ashore at various parts of the Australian coast during WWII Pennock believes that Todd and Danswan were the first casualties caused by enemy action on Australian soil.

- Paul Shiels, Lieutenant Commander RAN (Rtd)

German Commerce Raiders Mine Australian Waters During WW2

In 1940, the German commerce raider "Pinguin" accompanied by a tender ship sailed through Bass Strait and laid mines along the Victorian Coast, including the area off Apollo Bay. This field claimed two ships, "S.S. Cambridge" and "MS City of Rayville".

The "MS City of Rayville" was the first US merchant ship sunk in WW2.

The "Pinguin" also laid mines in South Australian waters including the Gulf of St. Vincent and Investigator Strait (near Kangaroo Island) areas. Numerous mines were reported washed ashore along the coast of South Australia, especially along the south east coast area. "Pinguin" also operated off Newcastle, Sydney and Hobart.

The War Diary Summary for the Naval Depot and Headquarters at HMAS Torrens in Port Adelaide in South Australia reported as follows:-

War Diary Summary - HMAS Torrens   

"German Mines - S.A. Coast. A number of mines came ashore during the quarter and were apparently from the minefield laid at the Western end of the Investigator Strait. 12th. July, 1941. Mine reported off shore near Beachport. This mine was subsequently landed by R.M.S. Party and self detonated on the beach after landing, causing the death of two members of the R.M.S Party. - Able Seaman Todd and Danswan."

It is believed that these two Naval ratings were the first men killed on Australian soil as a result of enemy action.

The War Diary continued to list numerous other mines that were reported. It then continued as follows:- "All mines were of the German Yx type with "C" Mechanism Plate, and had been laid approximately 8 months." - http://www.ozatwar.com/ozatwar/germanmines.htm

The war mine that created history at Beachport By Kate Hill

Tragedy: the mine that exploded in Beachport, killing Able Seaman Thomas William Todd & Able Seaman W L E Danswan. (Mt Gambier Library :Les Hills collection)

In 1941, a fisherman made an unusual discovery while he was trawling off Rivoli Bay near Beachport in the state's South East.

The man spotted a massive metal sphere partially submerged in the water, a live sea mine filled with up to 300 kilograms of explosives.

Military historians believe the mine had been laid by one of two German ships in the late 1940s, the Pinguin together with mine laying ship Passat had mined the sea approaches to Newcastle, Sydney, Hobart, Port Phillip and Adelaide.

Not to be deterred by the unwelcome and dangerous visitor, the fisherman reportedly hauled the mine back to a Beachport jetty, only to be confronted by local fishermen and community members who told him bluntly to take it back where it came from.

Towed to a remote beach, military officials were advised of the discovery and a Rendering Mines Safe (REMS) team of three were sent to investigate.

Several unsuccessful attempts were made to detonate the mine and the men clearly felt confident enough to take a photograph of themselves up close to the 1metre high mine.

Shortly after the image was taken, a wave lifted the mine up onto the beach where it fell on its detonators and exploded, killing two men, Able Seamen Thomas Todd and William Danswan.

In a twist, the two men were believed to be the first killed on Australian soil as a result of enemy action.

Even now, experts estimate that there are millions of conventional and chemical ammunition lying in internationals waters, unexploded time bombs lying in or on the sea floor. http://www.abc.net.au/local/photos/2014/07/25/4053525.htm

 ID number     P00805.004
Collection     Photograph
Object type     Black & white
Physical description     Black & white

Description

BEACHPORT, SOUTH AUSTRALIA. C. 1941-07. AN UNIDENTIFIED MAN STANDING ON THE BEACH NEXT TO THE ENEMY MINE WHICH EXPLODED ON 1941-07-14 RESULTING IN THE DEATHS OF TWO RATINGS OF A RMS (RENDERING MINES SAFE) PARTY FROM THE PORT ADELAIDE DEPOT. (DONOR: W.H. CONNELL)

ID number     P00805.002
Collection     Photograph
Object type     Black & white
Physical description     Black & white

Description

PORTRAIT OF ABLE SEAMAN W.L.E. DANSWAN WHO WAS KILLED WITH ANOTHER RATING WHEN A MINE EXPLODED ON THE BEACH AT BEACHPORT, SOUTH AUSTRALIA, ON 1941-07-14. AB DANSWAN WAS WITH HMAS CANBERRA FROM 1935 TO 1941-02 AND WAS ATTACHED TO HMAS TORRENS WHEN HE DIED, AS PART OF A RMS (RENDERING MINES SAFE) PARTY FROM THE PORT ADELAIDE DEPOT. (DONOR: W.H. CONNELL)

D number    080116
Collection type    Photograph
Object type    Black & white
Physical description    Black & white
Description    

FORT LARGS, ADELAIDE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 1944-09-12. SX21371 MAJOR C.W. SIMMONS, STAFF OFFICER ARTILLERY (1), WITH SX21370 LIEUTENANT C.W. BAILEY, OFFICER COMMANDING ADELAIDE COAST ARTILLERY, LARGS BATTERY (2), ALONGSIDE AN ENEMY MINE EXHIBITED AT THE UNIT TO DISCOURAGE CARELESS TALK.

ID number     080115
Collection     Photograph
Object type     Black & white - Film original negative film pack nitrate

Description

FORT LARGS, ADELAIDE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 1944-09-12. LIVING QUARTERS AT THE ADELAIDE COAST ARTILLERY, LARGS BATTERY. OLD FORTRESS GUNS AND AN ENEMY MINE ORNAMENT THE FOREGROUND.

German Mine On S.A. Beach

ADELAIDE, Monday. - Believed, to have broken away from the field sown by a raider some months ago, another Ger- man mine has been found near Robe, and rendered harmless by a naval squad. An 82-year-old trapper first saw it on the beach 14 miles north-west of Robe.

A number of other mines have been found in the south-east of South Australia in the past five weeks. - http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/25872397

National Commemoration

Australian War Memorial Canberra - At the heart of the Memorial building is the Roll of Honour: a long series of bronze panels recording the names of over 102,000 members of the Australian armed forces who have died during or as a result of war service, warlike service, non-warlike service and certain peacetime operations.

Location on the Roll of Honour - Able Seaman Thomas William Todd's name is located at panel 9 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial (as indicated by the poppy on the plan).

Local Commemoration

The Semaphore War Memorial was dedicated in 1925 to honour all of those from the district who fought in  war

The Semaphore War Memorial on the Esplanade was dedicated in 1925 to honour all of those from the district who fought in the war. A temporary ‘Memorial Arch’ of wood and iron was first erected at the entrance to the Semaphore Jetty bearing the banner title, ‘For King & Empire’. On 27 April 1924, four foundation stones for the new memorial were laid at the approach to the jetty – one on behalf of the citizens of Port Adelaide district, one for the RSSILA, one on behalf of the parents of the fallen men, and one on behalf of the widows and orphans.

Semaphore & Port Adelaide RSL

For the 2015 commemoration of the Anzac Centenary, the Semaphore & Port Adelaide RSL has created a virtual Honour Board listing the names of local men who volunteered to serve. Among them are counted Able Seaman Thomas William Todd from Rosewater who served with the Royal Australian Navy, on board HMAS TORRENS (later HMAS ENCOUNTER), the Naval Headquarters of SA at Birkenhead.