Tom Milovitch
Image: Pat Whyte
FatherEdward Patrick Milovitch b. 26 Feb 1872, d. 9 Jun 1929
MotherMary Reid b. 22 Dec 1879, d. 22 May 1950
Pedigree

Birth, Death, Marriage

Thomas Nicholas Milovitch was born on 28 February 1913 in Ardmona, Victoria.1,2,3 
He married Doreen May Craine in 1932 in Geraldton, Western Australia.4,5 
He died on 18 August 1966 in Perth district at age 53.6,2 

Family

Doreen May Craine b. 19 Dec 1912, d. 17 Jun 1979
Children
ChartsMilovitch, Thomas, descendant chart

Story

Thomas was born in Ardmona. He was the sixth child and third son of Paddy and Mary Milovitch.

He was born on 29th February, but when his parents went to register the birth, they were told it had to be recorded as either 28th February or 1st March. They chose 28th February.1,7
 
Nellie (Ellen Agnes), Vincent Patrick, Bub (Peter Maurice, back), Mary (Reid) with Toti (Gertrude Ann), Korizo, Thomas & Paddy (Edward Patrick) Milovitch, c. 1916
Image: Jeanette Henderson
He started at St Brendan's Catholic primary school in Shepparton in 1924.8
 
Ran Away and Joined the Circus
At the age of 15, Thomas literally ran away from home and joined a circus.

As the circus made its way across the country, he learnt to ride a motorbike which he really enjoyed. He became very good at it and later rode The Wall of Death. He then trained Molly the Monkey to ride pillion passenger with him.

When the circus got to Geraldton in Western Australia, Thomas met Doreen and left the circus.4
 
Marriage and Family
Thomas and Doreen married in Geraldton in Western Australia. They had eleven children, two in Western Australia, six in Victoria, then another three back in Western Australia.4
 
The two eldest children, Brian and Kevin, were born in Geraldton in Western Australia. The family of four then moved to Shepparton where Doreen would meet Thomas's parents.

Thomas, Doreen, two year old Brian and five month old Kevin were aboard the Westralia in November 1934 when it departed from Victoria Quay, Port of Fremantle for the eastern states.4,9
 
Military Service
Thomas Nicholas Milovitch VX142250 enlisted in January 1942 in Shepparton. He has a second enlistment, in June 1943 'in the field, Papua'.

He served in the 57/60th Australian Infantry Battalion in New Guinea.

He was discharged on compassionate grounds in June 1944 after a total of 798 days active service, 246 abroad.

Two daughters were born while he was serving and one son was born two months after he was discharged.

The family still has his service medals and they are worn during Anzac Day parades.10,11
Thomas Milovitch home on leave from New Guinea, with niece Pat Sloper
Image: Jeanette Henderson
Six children were born in Shepparton or Mooroopna; Raymond, Kenneth, Jeanette, June, Beverley and Bernard.4
 
The seven eldest children enrolled at St Brendan's primary school in Shepparton between 1940 and 1948. Brian and Kevin enrolled in 1940, then Ray and Ken (1942), Jeanette (1946), June (1947) and Beverley in 1948.4,12
 
In 1949, the family of ten moved back to Western Australia.4
 
The three youngest children, Cheryl, Rhonda and Catherine, were born in Geraldton.4
 
Thomas, Doreen & Brian Milovitch, Brian's wedding day, Geraldton, Jul 1953
Image: Jeanette Henderson
Back in the West
Their first place, in Glenfield, was not far from the ocean, which the children found most enjoyable.

Their next place was a rented railway house in the Geraldton township on the North West Coastal Highway.4
 
Fruit, Veg and Labouring
In Shepparton, Thomas was an orchard worker. Daughter Jeanette recalls him riding his bike to work at Darveniza's in Mooroopna.

While doing pruning work at Darveniza's, he learnt to graft fruit trees, and the back yard in Ashenden St, Shepparton had peach, pear, plum and quince trees.

On return to the West, Thomas tried his skills at tomato growing, purchasing a property at Glenfield, opposite the entrance to Drummonds Cove. Unfortunately the demands of such a large family meant he had give the market garden away.

He then worked at the railway goods shed.4,13,10,14
 
Thomas died in 1966 aged 53. He is buried at Geraldton cemetery with Doreen.4,2
 

Citations

  1. [S270] Victorian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, registry and index, Thomas Nicholas Milovitch entry, birth registration no. 6002, 1913.
  2. [S442] 'Geraldton Cemetery F-M', Oz Burials: Lorraine's cemetery records pages, online register, Thomas Nicholas Milovitch entry, viewed 19 November 2017, http://www.ozburials.com/CemsWA/Geraldton-Greenough/…
  3. [S508] Thomas Nicholas Milovitch, birth registration no. 6002, 28 February 1913.
  4. [S229] History of our Parents, computer file, unpublished, 2004.
  5. [S124] Western Australia Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, registry and index, 'Thomas N' Milovitch and 'Doreen M' Craine entry, marriage registration no. 46, 1932.
  6. [S124] Western Australia Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, registry and index, Thomas Nicholas Milovitch entry, death registration no. 2860, 1966.
  7. [S82] Jeanette Henderson, personal communication, 13 February 2019.
  8. [S165] History of St Brendan's Primary School 1891-1991, St Brendan's Centenary History Committee, 1991, p. 69.
  9. [S311] 'Westralia for eastern states', West Australian, 1879-1954, newspaper, 15 November 1934, p. 17, viewed 1 December 2017, http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/32822491
  10. [S447] 'Milovitch Thomas Nicholas', B883 Citizen Military Forces Personnel Dossiers, 1939-1947, control symbol VX142250, service record, 1942-1944.
  11. [S82] Jeanette Henderson, personal communication, 14 May 2012.
  12. [S165] History of St Brendan's Primary School 1891-1991, St Brendan's Centenary History Committee, 1991, pp. 71-72.
  13. [S82] Jeanette Henderson, personal communication, 10 March 2013.
  14. [S82] Jeanette Henderson, personal communication, 21 February 2014.
  15. [S230] Thomas & Doreen Milovitch, family history, unpublished, c. 1998.