Carlin, Eric Brooke

No.2794 – Corporal Eric Brooke Carlin – 51^st Battalion AIF

Eric Brooke Carlin was born in Port Lincoln South Australia on the 23^rd September 1885 to William and Isabella Carlin. The family moved across to Western Australia and took up residence in Barnett St Fremantle. Eric was educated at Fremantle Boys School and after leaving school became a railway goods clerk for the WA Government Railways. The family later moved to Leederville and Eric took up work with the Sunday Times as a Commercial Traveller.

On the 28^th June 1915 Eric offered his services to the AIF. He was given a medical examination and found to be 5 feet 9 ¼ inches in height; weight of 215 lbs; chest measurement of 42-45 inches; dark complexion; brown eyes and black hair. His religious denomination was Methodist. On the 5^th July 1915 he was assigned to the 9^th Reinforcements to the 11^th Battalion.

This group trained in Western Australia until the end of September. On the 1^st October 1915 they embarked from Fremantle on the H.M.A.T. “Hororata”. After their arrival in Egypt, Eric was not sent on to Gallipoli as plans had been made for the evacuation of the Gallipoli peninsula. Eric therefore waited in Egypt until the 11^th Battalion returned, and he officially joined up with then on the 7^th January 1916. He trained with the 11^th Battalion through January & February 1916, but with the expansion of the AIF, half of the 11^th Battalion would go on to form the 51^st Battalion. On the 29^th February 1916 Eric was transferred in the new 51^st Battalion. On the 14^th March he was appointed a Lance Corporal and on the 26^th March to Corporal.

The 51^st trained in Egypt until early June when they embarked from Alexandria bound for France, arriving at Marseilles on the 12^th June 1916. The 51^st Battalion was sent north to the region around Fleurbaix to gain front line experience. They spent a few weeks through June and July here, though on the 2^nd July Eric was admitted to hospital with an injury to his elbow. On the 27^th July he rejoined the Battalion but two days later on the 29^th July was again admitted to Hospital with periostitis of the elbow which was a form of osteitis. He was admitted to hospitals at Boulogne and Rouen though had seemingly recovered by the 12^th August when he marched into the 4^th Australian Division Base Depot at Etaples. Eric spent nearly three weeks here thereby missing the 51^st Battalion’s first action on the Somme.

On the 25^th August he rejoined the 51^st and would be with them for the Australians final assault on Mouquet Farm on the 3^rd September 1916. The 51^st Battalion captured parts of Mouquet Farm but during the battle two companies were surrounded by the Germans and cut off with the result that many were killed or taken prisoner. It is not clear what happened to Eric as there were differing reports as to his fate however it seems likely he was killed by shellfire during the battle.

At the time however it was not known if he was killed or prisoner so he was just declared missing in action. It was not until the 6^th February 1917 that Eric was declared killed in action. Further news came through in September 1917 that his body had been found and that he was buried in a grave 1 mile east of Thiepval and 4 miles north east of Albert. This location was recorded by the Director of War Graves and when the war was over Eric was exhumed and laid to rest in Pozieres British Cemetery in plot II.A.46.