Welshman, Thomas James

1387 Private Thomas James Welshman - 32nd Battalion AIF

Thomas James Welshman was born in Gloucester England in 1894 to John and Annie Welshman. He was one of several siblings, his brothers being Jack, Harry, Alfred and Frederick and Sister Blanche and Ethel. The family lived in Gloucestershire and Fred was educated at St Luke’s School in Gloucester.

After leaving school Tom took up an apprenticeship as a Blacksmith. After this time he had qualified to work as a Blacksmith Striker.

During this time Tom had also had voluntary service with the Territorial Army-Field Artillery in Gloucester for one and a half years.

In 1912 all the family apart from the eldest son Jack moved to Western Australia and took up residence in Harvest Street North Fremantle. On arrival in WA Alfred secured employment as a Blacksmith.

In 1913 his sister Blanche married Albert A Williams in Fremantle and they also set up residence in North Fremantle. Everything was going well for the family since their arrival in WA with all the sons finding employment plus also taking up service in the local citizen’s forces units.

On the 17th July 1915 Tom enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was accepted as fit for service with the medical examiner recording Tom's physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 11 & 3/4 inches tall;

Weight - 157lbs;

Chest Measurement - 34-37 inches;

Complexion - Fresh;

Eyes - Brown;

Hair - Brown.

Upon his successful enlistment Tom was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp and was allotted to No.16 Depot Company.

Tom spent a month here but in August was transferred into "D" Company of the 32nd Battalion. His brother Fred was in "C" Company.

The 32nd Battalion was a joint South and West Australian unit. The two WA companies did some of their training in WA but then went to Adelaide to join up with the rest of the Battalion and trained for a few more weeks in South Australia.

The 32nd Battalion left Adelaide in December 1915 and sailed for Egypt. After their arrival they spent more time in training and were also used to man part of the Suez Canal defensive line.

The 32nd Battalion became part of the 8th Brigade of the 5th Division AIF. They spent the first six months of 1916 training in the Egyptian desert. On the 17th June 1916 they departed from Egypt and boarded a troopship for France, arriving at Marseilles.

After their arrival they were sent north to the Armentieres region to have their first experience of trench life on the Western Front. The 32nd Battalion did not have long to wait to become involved in their first battle. On the 19th July 1916 the 32nd Battalion took part in the attack at Fromelles. Despite heavy German fire the 32nd Battalion captured part of the German trenches however due to having one open flank and the Germans isolating the men who captured the trenches, the 32nd Battalion could not hold on to their gains and the unwounded men either had to surrender or make a dash for their own lines. Many more men were shot down as they tried to withdraw.

The whole attack had been badly planned and the soldiers paid the price for the incompetence of the Generalship. The 32nd Battalion lost 718 casualties (killed, wounded and taken prisoner), almost three quarters of it's total strength.

During the attack Tom was shot through the neck, shoulder and knee but fortunately the wounds were not fatal. He managed to get back to the 32nd Bn's front trench where medical aid was initially given.

As with his brother Fred, Tom was taken to No1 Casualty Clearing Station and then taken to the 2nd Canadian Stationary Hospital in Boulogne. However he was only there for a few days and was then shipped to England.

Tom was admitted to Queen's Civil Hospital in Birmingham and from there to No.1 Southern General Hospital in the same city. His wounds were initially classed as severe but Tom recovered quite well and was discharged from hospital on the 4th October 1916.

He was then given a three week furlough, after which he reported to No.1 Command Depot Camp at Perham Downs on the 24th October 1916. He remained at Perham Downs Camp for the next few months while he regained his fitness.

Despite his wounds received at Fromelles, in February 1917 Tom was ready to return to France. He was taken on strength of the 32nd Battalion on the 8th February 1917.

He'd only been back a few weeks when he was diagnosed with influenza and trench feet and was evacuated to hospital at Etaples, only returning to his unit on the 21st April 1917.

Tom served at the Bullecourt action in May 1917 but after that battle, the 32nd Battalion and the 5th Division were withdrawn from the front for a three month rest.

The 32nd Battalion next went into the line in September 1917 when they took part at the Third Battle of Ypres. Tom served at Polygon Wood, Zonnebeke, Broodseinde and Passchendaele.

On the 19th October 1917 he was evacuated ill, though was only away for a short time, rejoining the 32nd Battalion on the 5th November 1917.

From November 1917 to March 1918 the 32nd Battalion held part of the line between Ypres and Messines in Belgium.

As a result of the German offensive of March 21st 1918 , the Australian units were sent south to the Somme to help stop the German breakthrough. The 32nd Battalion were among those sent south and they came into contact with the Germans near the Somme River.

They were stationed there from April through to July 1918, the main action they fought was at Brick Beacon in July 31st 1918 when the 32nd Battalion captured a key part of the line from the Germans.

On August 8th 1918 Tom and the 32nd Battalion took part in the successful advance from Villers-Bretonneux and from then till October 1918 the 32nd Battalion were constantly on the advance as the Germans were falling back.

Tom survived the rest of the war and in October 1918 he was appointed to Lance Corporal.

On the 14th 1919 January Tom returned to England and was sent into No.4 Command Depot Camp at Hurdcott.

On the 28th February 1919 he boarded the transport ship Anchises back to Australia, arriving at Albany on the 7th April 1919. Tom and the Western Australians then had to return to Fremantle from Albany. Tom was discharged from the AIF on the 3rd June 1919.

During the war Tom lost his brother Alfred in 1917 but Henry and Fred survived the war. The brother who had remained in England, Jack had served with the 5th Gloucester Regiment and also survived the war.

In 1926 in Fremantle Tom married Eva May Kelly and a son Ronald was born in 1929. By 1931 the family were living at Solomon Street East Fremantle/Palmyra. During this time Tom continued with his work as a blacksmith.

Thomas James Welshman died in Palmyra WA on the 7th November 1972 aged 77. His ashes were scattered over a family grave at Fremantle cemetery plot Anglican Mon A3 0213