Five thousand New Zealanders lost their lives during the campaign.
Mr Thomas said his father and one other soldier, Ben Wood, another Northlander, were the only two to survive from their 12-man unit. But Mr Wood's survival was one of war's lucky vagaries. He was shot in the throat by a sniper and Thomas senior used his field dressings to stem the flow of blood from either side of his mate's neck.
Mr Thomas, who joined St John in 1948 in Kaikohe and worked his way up through the ranks from driver to retire as Auckland district superintendent, believes Mr Wood would have died but for his dad's quick thinking.
"My father always said it was the hardest thing he had to do, leaving Ben behind. That was at 5.30 in the morning - the stretcher bearers came to get him out in the evening. He [lay] there all day in the mud but he lived.
"I loved my dad. If you're not proud of your family you need to take a good look at yourself."
Mr Thomas served in the Pacific at Guadalcanal and Tulagi as an 18-year-old at the war's end. He unloaded and loaded planes and loves Americans - they were good soldiers and good men, he reckons.
He volunteered so he wouldn't have to wait to be conscripted.
Later after the war and after a break in civilian life he joined the army for 21 years.
Tomorrow, as for every other Anzac, is a special day for him.
"I'm proud to be a returned serviceman, you'll never hear me moaning about it. We were at war and it was about doing my bit."
