Gourley, Thomas Walker

2618 Corporal Thomas Walter Gourley - 32nd Battalion AIF

Thomas Walker Gourley was born in Paisley Scotland in 1888 to James and Martha Gourley. He was educated in Paisley and after leaving school took up employment as a driller. He also served in the 2nd Volunteer Battalion of the Argyle Highlanders.

Thomas came to Western Australia in 1911, and he was living with relatives at 22 Wesley Street South Fremantle.

On the 25th February 1916 in Fremantle Thomas enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was passed as fit by the medical examiner who recorded Tom's physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 7 inches;

Weight - 142lbs;

Chest Measurement - 35-40 inches;

Complexion - Fair;

Eyes - Blue;

Hair - Light Brown.

Upon his successful enlistment, Tom was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to No.50 Training Depot where he was taken through the basics of infantry work. On the 4th April 1916 he was then transferred to the 13th Reinforcements to the 28th Battalion.

He trained with them for a month but was then transferred to a school for Non-Commissioned Officer training. He also went to the Musketry School for a period of instruction.

Tom was then assigned to the 6th Reinforcements to the 51st Battalion. He was then given the rank of Acting/Sergeant for training purposes.

During this time Tom got married to Lucy Martin in Fremantle.

On the 10th October 1916 Tom and his reinforcement group entrained for Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship HMAT Suffolk. The Ship then set sail for England, reaching Plymouth on the 2nd December 1916.

The men were then disembarked and sent to the 13th Training Battalion at Codford Camp on the Salisbury Plains. Tom was given the rank of Acting Corporal for the training period.

Tom would train in England for the next few months and it wasn't until the 13th March 1917 that he was shipped over to France. On reaching the 4th Australian Division Base Depot, he reverted back to the rank of Private.

Tom was also now re-assigned units. Instead of joining the 51st Battalion, he was instead sent to the 32nd Battalion AIF. He joined them on the 6th April 1917.

The 32nd Battalion were then around the French village of Bapaume. In May 1917 Tom and the 32nd Battalion were involved in the Second Battle of Bullecourt and he came through unscathed.

After this action, the 32nd Battalion were given a three month break out of the front line. Much of this time would be taken up with training and sporting activities.

In June Tom was promoted to Lance Corporal and in July to Corporal.

In September 1917 the 32nd Battalion moved to the Ypres sector to take part in the current offensive operations taking place there.

On the 13th September Tom dislocated his right knee doing damage to the cartilage. He was sent to Hospital in Boulogne and then on the 7th October 1917 was shipped to England for further treatment.

He was admitted to the 1st Southern General Hospital at Birmingham where he spent the next few weeks. On the 23rd October 1917 he was transferred to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield. On the 25th October 1917 Tom was transferred to the 2nd Command Depot Camp at Weymouth. He only spent four days there and on 29th October 1917 he was transferred to No.3 Command Depot Camp at Hurdcott.

On the 28th December 1917 Tom went back to France. He then rejoined the 32nd Battalion on the 1st January 1918. However five days later he injured his knee again and was again sent to hospital. Tom was sent to the 3rd Canadian General Hospital at Boulogne and after a few weeks of treatment was sent to various convalescent depot camps to recover. In March 1918 Tom developed scabies which necessitated a further stay in hospital.

On the 20th April 1918 Tom rejoined the 32nd Battalion. The 32nd Battalion were then in the vicinity of Vaux sur Somme. On the 22nd May 1918 Tom was struck by shrapnel and wounded in the shoulder and chin. He was initially treated at the 14th Field Ambulance and was then sent to the 47th Casualty Clearing Station. He was then sent to hospital in Le Treport.

Fortunately the wounds were not severe and on the 1st June 1918 Tom was sent to No.1 Convalescent Camp. He had a few weeks convalescing but then rejoined the 32nd Battalion on the 19th June 1918.

On the 29th July 1918 the 32nd Battalion captured a German position known as the Brick Beacon. It was a crucial operation as the position gave the Germans a view over the Australian reserve positions. The attack was very successful though Tom was wounded with bullets striking him in the arm and left knee.

Tom was initially treated at the 15th Field Ambulance and from there he was taken to the 61st Casualty Clearing Station. He was then put on an ambulance train to Le Treport where he was admitted to the 16th General Hospital. Tom only had a few days here as on the 1st August 1918 he was shipped to England. On arrival he was admitted to the University Hospital in Southampton.

Tom was in hospital in Southampton until the 22nd September 1918. He was then transferred to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford. On the 2nd October 1918 he was then transferred to No.2 Command Depot Camp at Weymouth.

Due to his wounds, Tom's war was now over and he would now wait to be assigned a berth on a troopship home.

On the 6th November 1918 Tom boarded the transport ship Marathon and set sail for home. The ship arrived at Fremantle on the 24th December 1918.

Tom was then sent to No.8 Australian Hospital in South Terrace Fremantle for a medical examination. He then returned home to 29 Price Street Fremantle.

Tom was discharged from the AIF on the 8th February 1919 and he found work locally as a labourer.

In the 1920's Tom and Lucy were living at 226 South terrace South Fremantle, then moving to 143 Wray Avenue (now 67 Wray) where they lived till the 1950's.

Thomas Gourley died in Fremantle on the 11th January 1958 aged 70. He was cremated at Karrakatta cemetery.