4   – ▁ 1 1 ▁October ▁ 1 9 8 3 ) ▁was ▁an ▁Australian ▁recip ient ▁of ▁the ▁Victoria ▁Cross , ▁the ▁highest ▁award ▁for ▁gall antry ▁in ▁the ▁face ▁of ▁the ▁enemy ▁awarded ▁to ▁British ▁and ▁Commonwealth ▁forces . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Thomas ▁Ax ford ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁ 1 8 ▁June ▁ 1 8 9 4 ▁at ▁Car ri eton ▁in ▁South ▁Australia . ▁His ▁father ▁was ▁an ▁au ction e er , ▁originally ▁from ▁Tas mania . ▁When ▁Ax ford ▁was ▁two ▁years ▁old , ▁the ▁family ▁moved ▁to ▁Western ▁Australia , ▁sett ling ▁in ▁C ool g ard ie . ▁Edu c ated ▁at ▁C ool g ard ie ▁Primary ▁School , ▁he ▁worked ▁at ▁the ▁B ould er ▁City ▁Bre wer y ▁after ▁comple ting ▁his ▁school ing . ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 2 , ▁he ▁en list ed ▁in ▁the ▁ 8 4 th ▁Infantry ▁( G old fields ▁Regiment ) ▁of ▁the ▁Cit izen ▁Military ▁Forces . ▁ ▁First ▁World ▁War ▁In ▁July ▁ 1 9 1 5 , ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 2 1 , ▁Ax ford ▁joined ▁the ▁Australian ▁Imperial ▁Force ▁( A IF ) ▁for ▁service ▁in ▁the ▁First ▁World ▁War . ▁He ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 1 th ▁Rein for c ements ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 6 th ▁Battalion ▁on ▁ 9 ▁August ▁ 1 9 1 5 , ▁which ▁left ▁Australia ▁on ▁H M AT ▁Ben alla ▁that ▁November . ▁He ▁arrived ▁in ▁the ▁Middle