Thomas Brown Mack

Personal Information
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 (Bedfordale panel) Bedfordale Honour Roll
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

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."

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.