Private Thomas George Barrett
Service #: 2144
Summary
BACKGROUND
Thomas George Barrett was born in Kangaroo Valley in 1889, son of Albert & Sarah Barrett. According to NSWBDM he had 2 brothers & one sister.
ATTESTATION
Thomas travelled to Brisbane on the 1st April 1916 to complete his application. He answered several questions on the document, and we find out he was a single man and gave his occupation as dairy farmer. His next of kin was his brother, Matthew, of Burringbar. He then signed a declaration confirming he had answered the questions correctly and was willing to voluntarily agree to service in the Military Forces of the Commonwealth of Australia
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CERTIFICATE OF ATTESTING OFFICER
On the second page of the attestation documents the attesting confirms the following; “The foregoing questions were read to the person enlisted in my presence. I have taken care that he understood each question, and his answer to each question has been duly entered as replied to by him”
OATH
He also made the following oath in the presence of the Attesting Officer: “I, Thomas George Barrett, swear that I will well and truly serve our Sovereign Lord the King in the Australian Imperial Force until the end of the War, and a further four months thereafter unless sooner lawfully discharged, dismissed or removed therefrom: and that I will resist His Majesty’s enemies and case His Majesty’s peace to be kept and maintained; and I will in all matters appertaining to my services faithfully discharge my duty according to law
He then signed a declaration confirming he had answered the questions correctly and was willing to voluntarily agree to service in the Military Forces of the Commonwealth of Australia
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MEDICAL EXAMINATION
Thomas was 26 years 11 months. He was 6ft 2 ½ inches tall (1.83m) and weighed 160lbs (72kgs). He had a medium complexion, dark brown eyes and dark brown hair. His eyesight was food. He had a scar on his left foot. Thomas was Church of England
CERTIFICATE OF MEDICAL EXAMINER
The medical examiner certifies I have examined the abovenamed person, and find that he does not present any of the following conditions, viz: -
Scrofula; phthisis; syphilis; impaired constitution; defective intelligence; defects of vision, voice, or hearing; hernia’ haemorrhoids; varicose veins, beyond a limited extent; marked varicocele with unusually pendent testicle; inveterate cutaneous disease’ chronic ulcers; traces of corporal punishment or evidence of having been marked with the letters D. or B.C; contracted or deformed chest; abnormal curvature of spine; or any other disease or physical defect calculated to unfit him for the duties of a soldier.
He can see the required distance with either eye; his heart and lungs are healthy; he has the free use of his joints and limbs; and he declares he is not subject to fits of any description. I consider him fit for active service
CERTIFICATE OF COMMANDING OFFICER
This is completed during the recruits training. Thomas was in Enoggera training camp when this was completed on 9th Jul 1916. The commanding officer certifies that this attestation of the abovenamed person is correct, and that the required forms have been complied with. He then states “I accordingly approve, and appoint him a private in the 4th reinforcements, 49th Battalion with service Number 2144
TRAINING AT RIFLE RANGE CAMP, ENOGGERA
As was the case with men from the Northern Rivers district in New South Wales, they trained at Rifle Range Camp, Enoggera near Brisbane. The Barracks Block was built as accommodation for men in two dormitories, each 36 feet by 22 feet (10.97 x 6.7 metres). Beds or bunks were not provided, instead each man slept on a palliasse with ground sheet on the floor. For many it was their first time away from home. Men from every walk of life, from clerks and teachers to factory and shop workers, were crammed together
Now training for the new recruits began. Firstly, the recruits had to be inducted into military forms of discipline, command, and order. This was partially achieved through a program of basic training carried and, in a sense, was maintained for a long as a man was in the service. It involved marching and drilling with the rifle, cleaning and caring for personal equipment and being supervised and inspected in ways quite different to ordinary civilian life. For example, no boots should be allowed to get in a bad state of wear but must be sent to the bootmaker without delay for repair. Men who were found with hair long and unshaven had to have a haircut and shave
Secondly, after basic training there followed the far more serious exercise of turning a man into a fighting soldier at least partially prepared for the kind of warfare he was about to experience overseas. The topics and exercises in the syllabus of training were a world away from their former lives and included daily physical training, entrenching, wiring, firing rifle grenades, firing the Lewis light machine gun, dealing with gas attack, using hand grenades, using the bayonet, and the routines to be followed in the trenches.
This training was then put into practice during what were called ‘Field Days,’ when men would practice using the skills they had acquired in mock attacks both by day and by night. How well men had learnt to use their weapons, in cooperation with each other in training, would be tested in the harsh reality of the front line. Training could take several months
INNOCULATIONS
All recruits were given a range of inoculations while in camp. The most important jab was to protect against smallpox and typhoid – indeed, having this was an essential precondition of enlisting.
THE UNIFORM
The recruits were issued with their uniform- service dress jacket was made of Australian wool and its loose fit gave the wearer more allowance for movement. The four large pockets were very useful. A unique feature designed for comfort was the pleated back, which provided a double thickness of cloth down the back that the pack rubbed against. Breeches were corduroy worn with wool wrap puttees. The famous khaki felt slouch hat or early service cap is probably the most distinctive part of the uniform. turned up on the left and featuring a plain khaki band, chinstrap and “rising sun” badge.
SOLDIER’S KIT
Australia's World War I soldiers went to war weighed down by almost 30 kilograms of clothes, weapons, tools and kit.
· Breeches: made from khaki woollen cord fabric, with side pockets and button flies. Soldiers were issued with two pairs of breeches, plus a pair of dungarees. The breeches ended above the ankles and the gap was filled with puttees.
· Braces: worn with breeches.
· Puttees: The men wound these strips of woollen cloth, almost three metres long, upwards from the ankle to just below the knee. Soldiers disliked the puttees, probably with good reason: the tight binding restricted circulation and might even have contributed to the high incidence of trench foot. Mounted troops wore leather leggings.
· Shirt: Soldiers were given two grey, collarless, flannel shirt, plus a military shirt.
· Ankle boots: brown and lace-up.
· Socks: Made from wool or cotton. Soldiers were issued with three pairs.
· Greatcoat: the khaki woollen coat (which weighed about 3kg) often doubled as a soldier's bedding and was his chief protection against the cold and wet. The coat came into its own when snow hit Gallipoli in November 1915 and also on the Western Front.
· Jersey
· Singlets: Soldiers were issued with 2 woollen singlets.
· Cotton "drawers" (underpants): Soldiers were issued with two pairs.
· Abdominal belts: a sort of cummerbund that was issued to keep soldiers warm and supposedly ward off disease.
· Backpacks and webbing: The main backpack was a rectangular sack measuring about 15 inches x 13 inches, closed at the top by a folding cover secured by two straps. The webbing included a web belt, cartridge pouches, small haversack, bayonet frog, an entrenching tool holder (plus another holder for its handle), and a water-bottle holder.
· Identity disc: Soldiers were initially issued with one medal "dog tag" on a cord, but later in the war they were given two tags, made of compressed fibre.
· Soldiers were also issued with a "housewife" - a sewing kit containing such items as needles, thimble, thread, wool and button so they could carry out running repairs.
· Also in their kit were a short-magazine Lee-Enfield (SMLE) rifle, a rifle sling, a bayonet and scabbard, and an "entrenching tool" (they were "diggers" after all). This came in two parts, with the helve (handle) separate from the spade part.
· Soldiers were issued with eating equipment (knife, fork, spoon, an enamel mug, water bottle (with two-point capacity), and a mess tin with carrier.
· They also had a clasp knife (with marlin spike, tin-opener and lanyard), razor, shaving kit, soap, comb, two towels, field dressing (carried in the tunic's inside pocket), and a hold-all, in which they could pack their private possessions.
· No item was probably looked after more carefully than their service pay book: privates were paid five shillings a day.
VOYAGE OVERSEAS FROM BRISBANE TO ENGLAND AUGUST 1916
On the 16TH August 1916 the recruits left Brisbane, sailing upon the
HMAT Boorara A42. Alongside his comrades, Thomas marched aboard, his boots ringing on the gangway. As the ship’s lines were cast off and the quay began to slip away, the reality of war lay ahead, but for now, the sea breeze carried only the sound of voices and the excitement of men bound for adventure, duty, and the unknown.
SLEEPING & LIVING ARRANGEMENTS
Recruits likely slept in a crowded troop deck below, where rows of hammocks or three-tier wooden bunks were crammed close together.
Air below decks could be stuffy, especially in warmer climates, and seasickness was common during the first few days.
DAILY ROUTINE
Reveille early each morning, followed by physical exercises on the open decks (weather permitting). There were parades and inspections—officers ensured uniforms, rifles, and kit were clean and in order. Training was a little problematic—drill without much space, rifle maintenance, lectures on military discipline, signalling, and trench warfare theory. The ship’s decks were used for marching in tight circles or practising bayonet thrusts into stuffed sacks. Rifle shooting was impossible at sea, so soldiers learned to strip and clean their weapons until it was second nature.
MEALS
Three hearty meals a day were served; breakfast usually consisted of porridge, stew, and tea. Lunch included soup, meat, vegetables, and pudding. Meat, bread with jam and tea was served for dinner. The meals were served in shifts from the ship’s galley. Queues were long, and eating on a rolling ship meant many tried to eat quickly before nausea set in.
HEALTH & SANITATION
Shipboard hygiene was critical—every man was ordered to scrub his section daily to prevent disease. Saltwater baths were the norm, with freshwater rationed for drinking.
THE VOYAGE EXPERIENCE
Entertainment included church drill, concerts, singalongs, card games, and makeshift cricket matches on deck when the weather allowed. In an attempt to keep up morale, an area of the ship was roped off where regular boxing and wrestling tournaments were held. This became commonly known as the Stoush Stadium. No letters could be sent until they reached port, but men often wrote diaries or unsent letters to be posted later.
The troops engaged in lifebelt drill; a cookhouse on deck; soldiers on fatigues peeling potatoes 'spud bashing'; going to the dentist; barber, pay day; soldiers cleaning personal equipment; medical inspection
CROSSING THE EQUATOR CEREMONY
The crossing the Equator ceremony, ‘Neptune’s Journey,’ was played-out on each troopship.
SIGHTS AT SEA
On the way to Egypt, where the ship would refuel & take on supplies, the ship would pass through the Great Australian Bight, cross the Indian Ocean, and stop at Colombo (Ceylon now Sri Lanka) for coal and supplies.
SECURITY
By late 1914, German raiders were active, so lifeboat drills were frequent, and lookouts kept watch for suspicious ships. Troopships generally sailed in convoys or at least took zig-zag courses to make torpedo attacks harder. Ships often travelled under blackout conditions at night, with lookouts specifically watching for periscopes or torpedo wakes. The danger was greatest in the Western Approaches near Britain, where U-boats patrolled choke points like the English Channel and Irish Sea.
EGYPT
After several weeks at sea, the men finally saw the dusty shoreline of Port Said or Alexandria. They could only wonder at the sights and sounds they could see as they watched the ship being refuelled and goods taken on board
ENGLAND
About a fortnight later the men finally saw the green shoreline of England. The reality of leaving home truly sank in. The recruits would soon exchange the ship’s cramped decks for the training grounds of England, preparing for what lay ahead.
ENGLISH TRAINING CAMP OCTOBER 1916
The ship arrived in Plymouth on the 13th October 1916. The recruits boarded the troop train for Salisbury Plains and were marched into one of the training camps. During an interim period, soldiers typically:
· Recovered from the voyage: After long sea travel from Australia, troops needed time to rest and regain strength.
· Underwent medical inspections: To check for illnesses, infections, or conditions like venereal disease that might delay their training.
· Received equipment and uniforms: This included British-issued gear better suited to the Western Front.
· Were assigned to training battalions: Administrative processing sorted soldiers into reinforcement drafts for specific front-line battalions.
· Drilled lightly: They performed light drills, parades, and familiarisation routines while waiting for formal training slots to open.
When the recruits entered the camp, they joined one of the Australian training establishments on the Salisbury Plain in southern England. By this stage of the war, the Australian Imperial Force had developed a highly organised training system designed to ensure that every reinforcement arriving in France possessed the skills needed to survive on the Western Front.
The time they spent at the camp were among the most important of their military career. Rather than being sent directly to the front, they underwent intensive preparation under instructors who were often veterans recently returned from France. These men had firsthand knowledge of trench warfare and passed on lessons learned through hard experience.
Life in the camp followed a demanding routine. Reveille sounded early each morning, followed by physical training designed to build strength and endurance. After breakfast, the men spent long hours on the training grounds learning and practising the skills they would soon need in battle. Rifle shooting remained a fundamental part of instruction, and the men would have spent considerable time on the ranges improving his marksmanship and learning to care for his weapon under all conditions.
Much of the training focused on trench warfare. Practice trench systems had been constructed across Salisbury Plain, allowing recruits to experience conditions similar to those they would encounter in France. They learned how to move through communication trenches, occupy front-line positions, stand sentry duty and maintain defensive works. They practised digging trenches, constructing parapets and revetments, and laying barbed wire obstacles.
Bombing instruction was another important part of the syllabus. Recruits learned how to throw and handle grenades safely, a skill that had become essential on the Western Front. They were also taught how to react during enemy bombardments, how to seek cover and how to move forward under artillery fire.
Field exercises frequently involved entire companies and battalions. During these manoeuvres, the recruits practised attacks on mock enemy positions, advancing behind simulated artillery barrages and coordinating movements with neighbouring units. Such exercises often lasted for many hours and could continue regardless of rain, cold or mud. The instructors were determined that recruits experience something of the hardships they would face in France.
Route marches formed a regular feature of camp life. Carrying rifles, ammunition, packs and equipment, the men marched many miles across the rolling countryside of Salisbury Plain. These marches built stamina and accustomed soldiers to carrying heavy loads over long distances. By the end of his training, the men would have been capable of marching for hours while carrying the equipment required in active service.
If applicable
The approach of winter made conditions increasingly difficult. As autumn gave way to the cold months of November and December, the winds sweeping across Salisbury Plain became bitter, and training often continued in rain, frost and mud. For Australian soldiers accustomed to warmer climates, the English winter could be an uncomfortable introduction to European conditions. Nevertheless, the harsh weather provided valuable preparation for service on the Western Front.
Beyond the formal training, the also gave the recruits the opportunity to form friendships with fellow Australians who shared anticipation and uncertainty about their future. In the evenings, men wrote letters home, attended educational lectures or spent what little leisure time was available discussing rumours from the front and wondering what lay ahead.
After many months of continuous preparation in England, the men were judged ready for active service. The recruits had been transformed from a newly arrived reinforcement into a fully trained infantryman, accustomed to discipline, hardship, and the mechanics of modern war. When the battalion finally crossed to France, it did so as a cohesive and well-drilled unit, prepared—so far as training could allow—for the brutal realities of the Western Front.
FRANCE DECEMBER 1916
Thomas and the other recruits left Folkstone on the Arundell bound for France on the 12th December 1916. After crossing the Channel Australian soldiers were sent to one of the Australian Infantry Base Depots (AIBDs) in northern France
At the Base Depot, soldiers:
· Were accommodated temporarily in tent lines or huts.
· Underwent further medical checks and physical conditioning.
· Received final kit issue or replacements, like steel helmets or trench gear.
· Participated in more training, especially focused on trench warfare, gas drills, musketry, and battlefield discipline.
· Waited for transport orders to go “up the line” to join their assigned battalion.
The base depot system was designed to ensure new arrivals were combat-ready after the journey and the winter conditions in France & to regulate the flow of reinforcements to the front, only sending them when the unit was ready to receive them or when replacements were needed. The journey to the battalion was often made in stages. Reinforcements travelled by train, lorry and sometimes on foot through the rear areas, gradually moving closer to the sound of the guns. Along the way they would encounter the immense logistical system that supported the armies in France—supply depots, ammunition dumps, field hospitals and transport columns stretching across the countryside.
TAKEN ON STRENGTH
Thomas was taken on strength on the 15th January 1917. This means a soldier was officially assigned to and accounted for in a specific military unit's nominal roll. It meant they were integrated into the unit for daily operations, including food, discipline, equipment, and frontline duties. Thomas arrived during a period when the battalion was holding sections of the front line in the Armentières sector of northern France. The winter of 1916–1917 was bitterly cold and miserable. Rather than taking part in major offensives, Thomas and his comrades spent their days repairing trenches damaged by rain and shellfire, improving dugouts, carrying supplies forward under cover of darkness, maintaining barbed-wire defences and undertaking patrols into No Man's Land. Enemy artillery fire was a constant danger and casualties occurred regularly even during these quieter periods. As spring approached, the battalion continued its routine of trench rotations, training, working parties and occasional raids while preparing for the major operations planned for later in the year.
WOUNDED IN ACTION JUNE 1917
On 7 June 1917 Thomas was wounded in action, receiving a gunshot wound to his hand. His wound occurred during the opening day of the Battle of Messines, one of the most successful Allied operations of the war. In the early hours of the morning, nineteen enormous mines were detonated beneath the German lines along the Messines Ridge near Ypres in Belgium.
The battle for Messines was initiated by the detonation of five-hundred tonnes of high explosives placed in 19 tunnels dug by the British, including Australian, tunnellers under the German fortifications along the Messines Ridge.
The resultant explosion, the largest ever in the world to that date, was clearly felt and heard in London. The Battle for Messines was the first time the new reinforcements were subjected to Phosgene Gas. This gas had previously been delivered by hand grenade and being subject to wind and how far it could be thrown was not all that popular with the enemy. Later the Germans perfected artillery and mortar shells which delivered the gas into the back of the enemy lines.
This gas had previously been delivered by hand grenade and being subject to wind and how far it could be thrown was not all that popular with the enemy. Later the Germans perfected artillery and mortar shells which delivered the gas into the back of the enemy lines
The primary objective of this battle was to secure the strategically important Wytschaete Messines Ridge, the high ground south of Ypres which in turn would benefit the allies to launch a larger campaign east of Ypres. The Australian involvement came under Lieutenant General Sir. Alexander Godley’s II Anzac Corps, which included the 3rd Australian Division. This Battle was launched on 7 Jun 1917 and exemplified tactical success through careful planning and firepower. The Battle of Messines was a meticulously planned operation aimed at capturing the Messines Ridge in Belgium.
On the June 17, 1917, the Australians were withdrawn from the Battle of the Somme to the battle for Messines which was initiated by the detonation of five-hundred tonnes of high explosives placed in 19 tunnels dug by the British, including Australian, tunnellers under the German fortifications along the Messines Ridge.
The 49th Battalion was part of the forces engaged in the attack and subsequent consolidation of captured positions. During the fighting Thomas was struck in the hand by a bullet or shell fragment.
MEDICAL CHAIN
After receiving first aid at a Regimental Aid Post, he was evacuated to the 77th Field Ambulance. Despite its name, a Field Ambulance was not a vehicle but a mobile medical unit located behind the front lines. Here medical officers examined wounds, controlled bleeding, cleaned injuries, applied dressings and splints, administered pain relief and determined whether a soldier could return to duty or required further evacuation.
The following day Thomas was admitted to the 58th Scottish General Hospital at St Omer. During his stay from 8 to 22 June, doctors would have carefully cleaned and dressed the wound to prevent infection, which remained one of the greatest dangers in wartime medicine. X-rays may have been taken if there was concern about bone damage or retained fragments. Nurses changed dressings regularly, monitored healing and watched for signs of infection. Because the injury involved his hand, doctors would have paid particular attention to preserving movement and function. Once his condition was stable and it was clear that recovery would take some time, arrangements were made for transfer to England.
EVACUATED TO ENGLAND JUNE 1917
On 22 June Thomas crossed the English Channel aboard a hospital transport ship and was admitted the following day to Middlesex War Hospital at Clacton-on-Sea. This large military hospital specialised in the treatment and rehabilitation of wounded servicemen. Here his wound received more detailed assessment and ongoing treatment. Surgeons would have evaluated whether further procedures were needed, while physiotherapy and exercises may have been introduced to restore strength and flexibility to the injured hand.
On 26 June he was transferred to Theydon Towers Hospital at Theydon Bois in Essex. This was one of the many convalescent facilities established to continue treatment after the acute stage of injury had passed. Thomas's days would have involved regular medical inspections, dressing changes, physical exercises and gradual rehabilitation. The emphasis was on restoring him to fitness for military service while ensuring that the hand healed properly.
A further transfer followed on 6 July when Thomas entered the 2nd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Southall. Australian Auxiliary Hospitals were designed specifically for recovering AIF soldiers. Conditions were generally more relaxed than in large military hospitals and focused on rehabilitation. Thomas would have continued hand exercises, received occupational therapy where required and undergone medical assessments to determine when he was fit enough to leave hospital care.
By 10 July he had recovered sufficiently to be discharged to the depot at Weymouth. Here he entered the familiar administrative system used for Australian soldiers returning from hospital. Medical boards assessed his fitness, records were updated and he underwent refresher training and military duties while awaiting further posting. Although no longer a hospital patient, he was not yet ready to return to active service.
On 23 July Thomas moved inland to Longbridge Deverill, one of the large Australian training camps on Salisbury Plain. Here he joined a reinforcement and training establishment. His days consisted of route marches, physical conditioning, musketry practice, trench warfare instruction and other military training designed to restore his confidence and readiness for front-line service after several months away from the battlefield.
RETURNED TO FRANCE
On 9 November 1917 Thomas proceeded overseas once more and arrived at Le Havre two days later. Like all returning soldiers, he did not immediately rejoin his battalion. Instead, he passed through reinforcement depots where records were checked, equipment issued and medical inspections conducted. He then moved through the reinforcement system towards the front, undertaking further training and waiting for a suitable opportunity to rejoin his unit.
REJOINED UNIT NOVEMBER 1917
Thomas finally rejoined the 49th Battalion on 27 November 1917. For the next ten months he experienced some of the most demanding fighting of the war. During the winter of 1917–1918 the battalion occupied trenches in the Ypres sector. In March 1918 the Germans launched their great Spring Offensive, forcing the Australians into a series of desperate defensive battles around Dernancourt, Villers-Bretonneux and the Somme region. The 49th Battalion helped stem the German advance and then participated in the Allied offensives that followed. From August 1918 onwards the battalion took part in the Hundred Days Offensive, advancing across former battlefields, capturing strongpoints, attacking trench systems and pursuing the retreating German Army. These operations ultimately led to the collapse of German resistance and the approach of the Armistice.
THE BATTLE OF DERNACOURT MARCH AND APRIL 1918
The battle of Dernancourt in March and April 1918 was centred on the railway embankment at the small French town of Dernancourt.
Dernancourt was a desperate battle in which the fate of the strategic rail junction city of Amiens was at stake. The Germans had earlier that month taken advantage of the release of thousands of their troops from the Eastern Front to reinforce their Armies on the Western Front.
This occurred as a result of the treaty of Brest-Litovsk that had ended Russia’s role in the First World War. With these extra troops the Germans launched Operation Michael, and other smaller operations, in an almighty effort to end the war on their terms prior to the Allies receiving fresh American reinforcements.
The Germans had rolled westward since the commencement of Operation Michael recapturing territory previously lost to the Allied armies. If the Germans had continued in their successful march westwards, and rolled up the Australian defences near Dernancourt and broken through to capture Amiens, they would have been in a position to strike a decisive blow.
In the ensuing battle about 4,000 members of the under-strength 12th and 13th Brigades of the Australian 4th Division attempted to stop an almost irresistible force of four near complete German Divisions totalling 25,000 men. Though eventually outflanked by the massive German force, the two brigades succeeded in stemming the German tide, with a loss of 1,100 casualties.
Perhaps the culmination of the battle at Dernancourt was the 2½ hour barrage of high explosive and gas shells that fell on the Australian troops early on 5 April causing destruction and death. Those who were not killed outright or wounded suffered from the unrelenting nature of the barrage.
BATTLE OF VILLERS-BRETONNEUX 1918 APRIL 24TH TO 25TH
Later in the month, they took part in the Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux, launching an Anzac Day attack that successfully recaptured the town, which had been lost the previous day following an attack by four German divisions. The town of Villers-Bretonneux, located near Amiens, was strategically important, as its capture would have allowed German forces to threaten the vital British supply hub.
On 24 April, German forces launched an attack using tanks, marking the first-ever tank battle in history. They successfully captured the town, but later that night, Australian and British troops launched a daring counterattack, encircling the Germans and forcing them to retreat. By 25 April, the town was liberated, coinciding with the third anniversary of the ANZAC landings at Gallipoli2.
The battle was a turning point, halting the German advance and demonstrating the effectiveness of Australian troops in defensive and offensive operations. Today, Villers-Bretonneux remains a site of remembrance, with the Australian National Memorial honouring those who fought there
THE HUNDRED DAY OFFENSIVE (OPERATION MICHAEL)
MARCH TO JULY 1918
In March 1918, the new Bolshevik government of Soviet Russia ended its role in the First World War by signing the Brest-Litovsk Treaty with the Central Powers.
This had a significant impact on the war in Western Europe, giving rise to the German Spring Offensive, also known as the ‘Kaiserschlacht’ (the Kaiser’s battle).
The Russians had been beaten by the Germans in a number of battles early in the war, but they had also inflicted substantial defeats on the Ottomans, Germans troops and Austrian-Hungarian forces.
With the signing of the treaty, however, the Germans ‘freed up’ their forces on the Eastern Front, reinforced their army on the Western Front, and raised it to 206 Divisions.
In response, the Allies raised 172 Divisions on the Western Front, including a growing number of Americans, which provided sufficient impetus for the Germans to mount their Spring Offensive.
Erich Ludendorff, the commander of the German Army on the Western Front, believed if Germany did not act, the Allies would achieve ascendancy.
The Germans were aware the balance of power was shifting and, while they held a superiority in numbers, this would soon change if they did not strike a decisive blow.
The German offensive was spearheaded by Operation Michael and supported by operations Georgette, Gneisenau and Blücher-Yorck, supported by smaller operations to deal with battlefield contingencies.
Operation Michael began with a devastating barrage of nearly 10,000 artillery pieces and mortars. The attacks were spearheaded by path-finding ‘Stormtroopers’, followed by immense numbers of infantry.
The German attack worried Australia’s diggers as much as those in high command, with soldiers bitter about the German successes.
Barwick though was aware this was the German’s ‘last throw of the dice’ and he was supremely confident the Australians would check the German advance.
Operation Michael seemed a success in terms of captured territory, prisoners and equipment, but it did not deliver an over-arching strategic blow to the Allies.
It did not destroy the British Army nor drive a wedge between the British and French forces.
Michael, along with the other German Spring Offensive operations, failed to achieve the desired aim of bringing the Allies to their knees.
After the Spring Offensive finished in July 1918, the initiative crossed to the Allies who — with the addition of American troops — brought Germany to its knees in a number of subsequent battles.
Germany surrendered less than six months after the last operation in its Spring Offensive
LEAVE IN THE UK
On 19 October 1918 Thomas was granted leave to the United Kingdom, remaining there until 2 November. After many months of continuous operations, this period would have provided a welcome respite from the hardships of the front. Like many Australian soldiers on leave, he likely enjoyed proper accommodation, good food, entertainment and the opportunity to explore parts of Britain before returning to his unit.
WAR ENDED 11th NOVEMBER 1918
The armistice that ended the First World War on the Western Front was signed between Germany and the Allies on 11 November 1918.
AFTER THE WAR
Following the Armistice on 11 November 1918, Thomas remained with the occupation and administrative forces in France. The battalion's wartime routine changed dramatically. Training became less intensive, military discipline was relaxed somewhat and attention turned to education programs, sporting activities and preparing soldiers for eventual return home. Large numbers of men were progressively repatriated according to a points system based on age, service and family circumstances.
POSTED TO ENGLAND
On 5 April 1919 Thomas was posted to England for return to Australia. This entry, marked "AGBD" (Australian General Base Depot), indicates that he left France and moved into the administrative organisation responsible for processing soldiers awaiting repatriation. In England he completed medical examinations, final paperwork, equipment returns and other formalities required before embarkation
MARRIAGE APRIL 1919
Thomas married Elizabeth Bell, of Belfast on the 30th April 1919 at
the Carlisle Memorial Church according to the Methodist Church rites.
GOING HOME JULY 1919
After several months awaiting transport, Thomas embarked aboard the troopship Demosthenes on 26 July 1919. Like thousands of other returning AIF soldiers, he spent weeks at sea as the vessel made its way through the Empire's shipping routes towards Australia. This voyage was a little longer than usual but that was not unusual in the immediate post-war period.
Some common reasons were:
1. Multiple port calls. Troopships often stopped at several ports for coal, supplies, passengers or troops. Common stops included Gibraltar, Port Said, Suez, Aden, Colombo, Fremantle, Adelaide and Melbourne.
2. Shipping shortages and congestion. In 1919 there were hundreds of thousands of troops from across the Empire waiting to return home. Ships were frequently delayed while loading troops, cargo and stores.
3. Quarantine delays. The world was still dealing with the influenza pandemic. Troopships were carefully monitored and could be delayed at ports if influenza cases appeared on board.
4. Mechanical problems. Many troopships had seen heavy wartime service and breakdowns were not uncommon.
CLOTHING AND NECESSITIES GIVEN TO SOLDIERS FOR SOLDIERS PROCEEDING TO AUSTRALIA FOR DEMOBILISATION
Badges Hat Badges Collar (2) Bags kit universal
Bags kit sea Braces (pair) Brush, shaving
Brush, tooth Breeches M.S (Military service)
Cap comforter (warm cap) Comb, hair
Disc identity with cord Drawers (2 pairs)
Great Coat Hat, Khaki fur Hat, white
Holdall Housewife (compact sewing kit)
Jackets Cardigan Jackets S.D (service dress)
Leggings 1 pair Laces, leather 1 pair
Puggarees, small (a traditional Indian head wrap, worn in warm conditions
Puttees, 1 pair (cloth bandages worn by soldiers, to provide support and protection
for the lower leg)
Razor Shirts, flannel (2) Socks, 3 pairs
Singlets (2)
Strap chin Soap piece Suit, working
Towels, hand (2)
Titles “Australia” (4)- Australian soldiers and non-commissioned officers wore an “Australia” title at the base of their shoulder straps. Each serving soldier also wore unit titles above this which indicated the units to which they belonged
DISCHARGED NOVEMBER 1919
Arriving home after more than three years of service overseas, Thomas was discharged from the Australian Imperial Force on 5 November 1919. His war had taken him from the muddy trenches of France and Belgium, through the fierce fighting at Messines where he was wounded, into hospitals across France and England, back to the Western Front for the decisive campaigns of 1918, and finally home to Australia as one of the many veterans who had helped secure victory in the Great War.
DEATH
Thomas died of heart failure, debility and emphysema in Brisbane on the 7th August 1966, aged 77 years
If you have any additional information about this individual, we invite you to email us at rsl@msmc.org.au.
Memorial Location
We do not know the memorial location of this individual
Buried Location
We do not know the burial location of this individual
