Thomas Brown Mack
From Our Contribution
Personal Information | |
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Date of Birth | unknown |
Place of Birth | Edinburgh, Scotland |
Death | 23 Mar 1970, aged 75 |
Place of Death | Maddington, Western Australia |
Age at Enlistment | 20 years, 2 months |
Description | 5' 7¼" (1.71m) tall; weight 125 lbs (56.7 kg); fresh complexion, light blue eyes, light brown hair |
Occupation | labourer |
Religion | Presbyterian |
Address | Canningdale, Western Australia |
Next of Kin | Father Mr Archibald Mack |
Military Information | |
Reg Number | 2901A |
Date of Enlistment | 7 Jun 1916 |
Rank | Private |
Unit/Formation | 5th Pioneer Battalion, 6th Reinforcement, C Company / 5th Division |
Date of Embarkation | 30 Oct 1916 - 28 Dec 1916 |
Ship Embarked On | HMAT A16 Port Melbourne |
Date of Return | 15 Feb 1918 - 6 Apr 1918 |
Ship Returned On | SS Llanstephan Castle |
Fate |
Wounded in Action 30 Sep 1917 at Polygon Wood Returned to Australia |
Monument |
Armadale War Memorial (Bedfordale panel) Bedfordale Roll of Honour |
Medals |
British War Medal Victory Medal |
Pre War
War Service
A fortnight after entering camp, Tom was allocated to the 5th reinforcement draft for the 44th Battalion, but on 4 Sep 1916 he was transferred to the 6th draft for the 5th Pioneers and he travelled with them to England.
While his records are silent on his time in England we can assume that he spent the next three months at the Pioneer Training Battalion at Perham Downs.
On 28 Mar 1917 he proceeded to France from Folkestone and was taken on strength by the 5th Pioneer Battalion on 21 Apr 1917 near Flers where the battalion was finally being given a rest after 6 months solid work in or near the front lines. On 10 May 1917, near Vaulx-Vraucourt intermittent enemy shelling killed 12 and wounded 23 other members of the 5th Pioneer Battalion, their heaviest casualties to this point.
During the Menin Road Battle they provided support to a variety of units, but most of their efforts were spared for repairing roads to permit the movement of troops and stores. All of August and the first week of September 1917 was spent in a rest area to the west of Hazebrouck called Blaringhem.
During the evening of 29/30 Sep 1917, C Company of the 5th Pioneers were caught up in the allied barrage, with four killed, and Tom and six others wounded. Tom's wounds were to his face, right arm and chest wall (penetrating). He was admitted to the 5th General Hospital in Rouen on 2 Oct 1917 before being evacuated to England on HMHS Panama on 17 Oct 1817, where the next day he entered the Stratford-on-Avon War Hospital.
Following treatment he was released on 10 Nov 1917 to the 2nd Australian Auxiliary Hospital. Following furlough he reported to No2 Command depot in Weymouth for return to Australia.
Discharged by 5th Military District on 12 Sep 1918.
"With the 5th Pioneers on 30th Oct 1916."[1]
Post War
27 April 1922 married Mabel Victoria Carlisle.
Electoral Roll entries - 1925 - 31 orchardist at Canningdale; 1936 at Albany road, Maddington; 1954 retired; 1968 at 1943 Albany Hwy, Maddington where Mabel remained until her death on 27 Oct 1973, aged 72. A daughter Jean Ann was born 18 May 1925.
References
- ↑ "The Drill of the Foot-Hills" (PDF) (1917). Western Australia. Mar 1917. p. 9. Retrieved 16 May 2017 – via State Library of Western Australia.