View source for Thomas Brown Mack

{{infobox soldier
| image           = [[File:Unknown.png|300px|]]
| caption         =
| image2          =
| caption2        =
| dateofbirth	  = c1896
| placeofbirth	  = Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland
| death	          = 23 Mar 1970, aged 75
| placeofdeath	  = Maddington, Western Australia
| enlistmentage	  = 20 years, 2 months
| description	  = 5' 7¼" (1.71m) tall; weight 125 lbs (56.7 kg); fresh complexion, light blue eyes, light brown hair
| height          = 5' 7¼" (1.71m)
| weight          = 125 lbs 
| complexion      = fresh
| eyes            = light blue 
| hair            = light brown 
| descriptionnote = 
| occupation	  = Labourer
| religion	  = Presbyterian
| address	  = Canningdale, Western Australia
| relation	  = Father
| nextofkin       = Mr Archibald Mack
| regnumber	  = [https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=1962090 2901A]
| enlistmentdate  = 7 Jun 1916
| rank	          = Private
| unit     	  = 5th Pioneer Battalion, 6th Reinforcement, C Company / 5th Division
| embarkationdatefrom = 30 Oct 1916 
| embarkationdateto = 28 Dec 1916
| shipembarked	  = [[HMAT A16 Port Melbourne]]
| embarkedshipnote = Fremantle to Devonport
| embarkationdatefrom2 = 
| embarkationdateto2 = 
| shipembarked2	  = 
| embarkedshipnote2 =
| dateofreturnfrom = 15 Feb 1918 
| dateofreturnto  = 6 Apr 1918
| shipreturned    = [[SS Llanstephan Castle]]
| shipreturnednote =
| dateofreturnfrom2 = 
| dateofreturnto2  = 
| shipreturned2    = 
| shipreturnednote2 =
| fate1	          = Wounded in Action 30 Sep 1917 at Polygon Wood
| fate2           = Returned to Australia
| fate3           = 
| fate4           =
| monument1	  = [[Armadale War Memorial]] 
| monumentnote1   = (Bedfordale panel)
| monument2	  = [[Bedfordale Roll of Honour]]
| monumentnote2   =
| monument3	  = [[Armadale and Districts Roll of Honour]]
| monumentnote3   =
| monument4	  = 
| monumentnote4   =
| monument5	  = 
| monumentnote5   =
| monument6	  = 
| monumentnote6   =
| monumentawm     =
| monumentawmnote =
| monumentother   =
| monumentothernote =
| medal1	  = [[British War Medal]]
| medal2          = [[Victory Medal]]
| medal3          =
| medal4          =
}}


==Pre War==
15 year old Thomas, along with 17 year old brother Robert and 9 year old sister Worthy, along with their father Archibald (42) and their mother Ann (43) arrived in Fremantle from London aboard ''SS Armadale'' on 10 Jul 1911. The males were described on the shipping list as farmers, while Ann was listed as a wife . 385 migrants, assisted by the WA Government were aboard the ''SS Armadale''.

==War Service==
On entering camp, Tom was placed in the 72nd Depot Company until he was allocated to the 5th reinforcement draft for the 44th Battalion on 20 Jun 1916. However, on 4 Sep 1916 he was transferred to the 6th reinforcement 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 with 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 in the war 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 was caught up in the allied barrage, with four killed, and Tom and six others wounded.  Tom's wounds were described in a medical report as bomb wounds to his face, right arm above and below the elbow, 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 1917, 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]] until his wounds had practically healed on 3 Dec 1917.  Following furlough from 4 - 18 Dec 1917 he reported to No.2 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."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b1756512_394.pdf |title=The Drill of the Foot-Hills |issue=1917 |location=Western Australia |date=Mar 1917 |accessdate=16 May 2017 |page=9 |via=State Library of Western Australia}}</ref>


==Post War==
On 27 April 1922 Thomas married Mabel Victoria Carlisle (1901-1973). Daughter Jean Ann was born on 18 May 1925 in Carlisle (d.2009); and son Thomas Archibald on 11 Sep 1930 in Carlisle (d.2000). 

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.

==References==
<references />

==External Links==
*[https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=183262 AIF Project]
*[https://rslvirtualwarmemorial.org.au/explore/people/336017 RSL Virtual War Memorial]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mack , Thomas Brown}}

[[Category:Soldier]]
[[Category:1917 WIA]]
[[Category:Returned to Australia]]
[[Category:Born Scotland]]
[[Category:Presbyterian]]
[[Category:Labourer]]
[[Category:Armadale-Kelmscott]]