Corbett, Thomas William

Lieutenant Thomas William Corbett - 16th Battalion AIF

Thomas William Corbett was born in Fremantle on the 21st October 1895 to Ernest and Emily Corbett. He was one of four siblings, with Edward (1889), Frederick (1892) and Arthur (1900)

He grew up in Fremantle and later the family moved to Narrogin, where his father died in 1904 and his mother in 1909. The brothers then moved to Broomehill WA, which is situated between Katanning and Albany.

He was working as a Boundary rider/station hand prior to his enlistment.

On the 20th November 1914 Thomas enlisted into the AIF. He was accepted as fit for service with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 9 inches tall;

Weight - 151 lbs;

Chest Measurement - 35-38 inches;

Complexion - Fair;

Eyes - Grey;

Hair - Fair.

Upon his successful enlistment Thomas was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to the 2nd Reinforcements to the 16th Battalion. He was given the regimental number 1462. He trained with this group in WA for the next several weeks.

On the 22nd February 1915 Tom and his group boarded the transport ship HMAT Itonus in Fremantle Harbour and set sail for Egypt. They arrived there in March 1915 but didn't spend much time there and were forwarded on to join the Australians who were gathering at Lemnos in preparation for a landing at Gallipoli.

Tom did not join the 16th Battalion immediately as they were at full strength but was kept with a 4th Brigade reinforcement group. The 16th Battalion landed at Anzac Cove in the late afternoon of April 25th 1915 but Tom had actually landed at Gallipoli earlier that morning at 7am.

As part of the 4th Brigade reinforcement group he was landed and used to run supplies from the boats to the beach. This was kept up for several days but with the 16th Battalion having had high casualties, Tom was taken on strength in May 1915.

The 16th Battalion were serving around the vital positions of Quinn's Post and Popes Hill. In August 1915 the 16th Battalion took part in the northern advance which tried to capture Hill 971. While more territory was captured the vital heights remained in Turkish possession.

Tom came through these battles unscathed but in September he fell ill with dysentery. The harsh conditions had taken its toll and he was evacuated back to Egypt where he was hospitalised for the next few months. In December 1915 Tom's health had improved and so was seconded for duty with the AIF Overseas Base in Egypt. He remained on duty there till March 1916.

The 16th Battalion had arrived back in Egypt after the Gallipoli evacuation and Tom was taken back o strength of the unit on the 9th March 1916. He trained with them in Egypt for the next few months. On the 1st June 1916 Tom and his group boarded the transport ship Canada in Alexandria and set sail for France, arriving at Marseilles on the 9th June 1916.

The 16th Battalion were then entrained for northern France. After arriving near Armentieres the battalion had a few weeks in the front line to become accustomed to Western Front conditions. However after a few weeks they were transferred to the Somme battlefield.

The 1st and 2nd Australian Divisions had already been participating in action at Pozieres and the 4th Australian Division had come in to further the gains already made.

Tom had just been promoted to Lance Corporal and the 16th Battalion went into the line on the 5th August 1916. Tom was slightly wounded on the 7th August but remained on duty and on the 24th August he was promoted to Corporal. Tom then took part in the 16th Battalion attack at Mouquet Farm on the 30th August. The 16th Battalion got into the German positions but a lack of support meant that they had to retire.

After this action the 16th Battalion spent several weeks in Belgium and Tom was then promoted to Sergeant. The 16th Battalion then returned to the Somme battlefield which is where they would spend the 1916/17 French winter.

On the 14th January 1917 Tom was evacuated ill and was sent to the 51st General Hospital at Etaples. He was diagnosed with venereal disease and would only rejoin the 16th Battalion on the 27th March 1917. However it appears he returned from hospital too early as he suffered a relapse and was sent back to hospital on the 4th April 1917.

Tom returned to the 16th Battalion on the 30th April 1917. During his absence the 16th Battalion had been in action at Bullecourt and suffered large casualties, so on Tom's return there would have been many missing familiar faces.

From June to August 1917 the 16th Battalion served at Messines in Belgium and from September to November 1917 they took part in the Third Battle of Ypres, seeing action at Polygon Wood, Broodseinde Ridge and Passchendaele.

Tom came through these actions unscathed and on the 30th October 1917 was granted a two week furlough to England, rejoining the 16th Battalion on the 13th November 1917.

The 16th Battalion were then sent to Peronne for a few weeks before returning to Belgium where they spent January to March 1918. On the 12th January 1918 Tom had been sent to the Australia Corps School for a period of instruction. He returned to the 16th Battalion on the 22nd February 1918.

On the 21st March 1918 as a result of the German offensive which broke through the British Armies further south, the Australian Divisions were sent to the Somme to help stop the German breakthrough. The 16th Battalion came into contact with the Germans at Hebuterne in late March 1918. They held the German advance and even then conducted rais on the German positions.

Tom had been doing good work which hadn't gone unnoticed and on the 19th April 1918 he was sent to England to attend an Officers Training Course. The Officers training course was at Cambridge University and this was where Tom spent the remainder of 1918.

The war ended while Tom was at Cambridge though he was appointed a Second Lieutenant on the 10th December 1918. Tom spent the next several weeks in England but on the 5th March 1919 he returned to France. The infantry units were in the process of being dissolved but Tom was taken on strength of the 4th Division wing, and then the following day to the 16th Battalion. Though low on numbers there was still much work to do in the Battalion for the Officers. He had been appointed to Lieutenant during this time.

On the 1st April 1919 Tom took eight days leave to see Cologne and on return to the 16th battalion was told to prepare for a return to England. On the 21st April Tom left the 16th Battalion for the final time and departed for England.

On the 30th April 1919 Tom returned to England and was sent to the AIF Camp at Hurdcott. He waited here to be assigned a berth on a troopship home. This took several more weeks and Tom was given ample leave during this time.

On the 18th July 1919 Tom boarded the transport ship HMAT Orsova and set sail for home, reaching Fremantle on the 28th August 1919. Tom was then sent to No.8 Australian General Hospital in South Terrace Fremantle for a medical checkup and was discharged from the AIF on the 27th October 1919.

After the Great War Tom kept up with his military service, volunteering with the Reserves and served with the militia from 1920 to 1941

After the Great War Tom was working full time at Kooline Station in Onslow as a pastoralist. Kooline Station is 200km southeast of Onslow.

In 1924 in Perth Thomas married Gertrude Rosie Irinia McCarthy at the Church of the Immaculate Conception. A daughter called Marion was born in 1926, followed by Barbara in 1928 and Thomas in 1929.

In 1936 Tom was working at Kurrajong Station. This was between Leinster and Leonora and he worked here till the 1940's.

It also appears that he and Gertrude were living in Moreing Road Attadale pre-World War Two.

In World War Two Thomas enlisted for service again. It appears he was utilised as a Temporary Captain on the troopships from Fremantle to the Middle East in 1941, (WX11100) but after that he signed up for full time service on the 16th February 1942. (W26799) He was accepted as fit for service and was given the rank of Lieutenant. He was assigned to the 5th Garrison Battalion and served mainly in the metropolitan are till late 1942 when he was transferred to Kalgoorlie where he worked at the Australian Army Staging Camp part of 3 Army Corps. He then served as part of the 29th Garrison Company.

He was placed on the retired list in June 1944

In 1968 from his Doubleview home Tom wrote to the Army authorities for his Gallipoli Medallion.

Thomas died on the 23rd May 1973 in Doubleview. He is buried in Karrakatta Cemetery plot Roman Catholic ZF 0182.