Peter Toms
Encyclopedia
Peter Toms OAM, JP
(born 30 August 1933) is an Australian politician who represented the Electoral district of Maitland
between 21 February 1981 and 28 August 1981 for the Liberal Party of Australia
.
, and Ninian Florence Toms in Collarenebri, New South Wales
, Australia
. He is the great grandson of former member for Hastings and Manning
, Joseph Andrews
.
Toms was educated at Goulburn Infants School, Bombala Primary School, Hurlstone Agricultural High School and Hemingway Robertson Institute. He worked as a Clerk in Commonwealth Bank of Australia
from 1949 until 1955 and as a Clerk in his Local Government Shire from 1955 until 1982.
Captain Toms was attached to 5RAR on loan from 2RNSWR in Phuc Tuy Province Viet Nam. On 12/3/1969 whilst on patrol with an infantry unit he was wounded to the head/shoulder and back from an RPG airburst in bamboo when the unit was ambushed by Viet Cong irregulars. He along with three other soldiers was evacuated by helicopter to the Australian Military Hospital in Vung Tau. He later repatriated to Australia.
Toms was elected as the member for the Electoral district of Maitland
at the Maitland state by-election, 1981. He represented the seat for a total of six months and eight days. He is currently a member of the Maitland branch.
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
(born 30 August 1933) is an Australian politician who represented the Electoral district of Maitland
Electoral district of Maitland
Maitland is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by Robyn Parker of the Liberal Party of Australia....
between 21 February 1981 and 28 August 1981 for the Liberal Party of Australia
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
.
Early life and military
Born to parents Septimus Frank Toms, a postmasterPostmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
, and Ninian Florence Toms in Collarenebri, New South Wales
Collarenebri, New South Wales
Collarenebri is a town with a population of 478 people in north western New South Wales, Australia. It is situated in Walgett Shire, on the Barwon River approximately 75 km northeast of Walgett and south west of Mungindi on the Gwydir Highway. It is from Pokataroo which was the nearest...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. He is the great grandson of former member for Hastings and Manning
Electoral district of Hastings and Manning
Hastings and Manning was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales from 1880 to 1894. Created to succeed Hastings, it elected two members with voters casting two votes and the two leading candidates being elected...
, Joseph Andrews
Joseph Andrews
Joseph Andrews, or The History of the Adventures of Joseph Andrews and of his Friend Mr. Abraham Adams, was the first published full-length novel of the English author and magistrate Henry Fielding, and indeed among the first novels in the English language...
.
Toms was educated at Goulburn Infants School, Bombala Primary School, Hurlstone Agricultural High School and Hemingway Robertson Institute. He worked as a Clerk in Commonwealth Bank of Australia
Commonwealth Bank of Australia
The Commonwealth Bank of Australia is a multinational bank with businesses across New Zealand, Fiji, Asia, USA and the United Kingdom. Commonwealth Bank provides a variety of financial services including retail, business and institutional banking, funds management, superannuation, insurance,...
from 1949 until 1955 and as a Clerk in his Local Government Shire from 1955 until 1982.
Military career
Toms has an extended Military career including: Citizens Military Forces/ Army Reserve 1952 - 1979, National service full time training in 1952, Commissioned as a Lieutenant, Parachutist Rifle Company Commander in 1955 and promoted to a Captain 1957. He served in units including the 17/18th Infantry Battalion North Shore Regiment, 2nd Infantry Battalion, City of Newcastle regiment, 13th Infantry Battalion the Macquarie regiment and 2nd Battalion Royal New South Wales Regiment. He was also a trained parachutist and proudly wore his wings on his sleeves.Captain Toms was attached to 5RAR on loan from 2RNSWR in Phuc Tuy Province Viet Nam. On 12/3/1969 whilst on patrol with an infantry unit he was wounded to the head/shoulder and back from an RPG airburst in bamboo when the unit was ambushed by Viet Cong irregulars. He along with three other soldiers was evacuated by helicopter to the Australian Military Hospital in Vung Tau. He later repatriated to Australia.
Political career
Originally a branch member of the Country Party, Toms joined the Dungog branch of the Liberal Party in 1979.Toms was elected as the member for the Electoral district of Maitland
Electoral district of Maitland
Maitland is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by Robyn Parker of the Liberal Party of Australia....
at the Maitland state by-election, 1981. He represented the seat for a total of six months and eight days. He is currently a member of the Maitland branch.
Community activity
- Defence Reserves Association
- Battle for Australia - Newcastle Committee
- Newcastle City CouncilNewcastle City CouncilNewcastle City Council is the local government authority for Newcastle upon Tyne, a city in Tyne and Wear, England. The council consists of 78 councillors, three for each of the city's 26 wards...
Ex-service Remembrance Committee - Wallsend Returned Serviceman's Leagues Club sub branch
- Vietnam VeteransVietnam veteranVietnam veteran is a phrase used to describe someone who served in the armed forces of participating countries during the Vietnam War.The term has been used to describe veterans who were in the armed forces of South Vietnam, the United States armed forces, and countries allied to them, whether or...
Federation - Fort ScratchleyFort ScratchleyFort Scratchley is a former coastal defence installation and now museum, located in Newcastle East, a suburb of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. It was built in 1882 to defend the city against a possible Russian attack. However, its guns were not fired in anger until 8 June 1942, during the...
Historical Society - Hunter Region Botanic Gardens
- Lord Baden Powell Society and;
- President and founding secretary/event organiser in 1998 for Reserve Forces Day Hunter Region Council.