CARBERRY, RQMS Thomas MM MiD

1363 RQMS Thomas Carberry MM MiD

46th Regiment, British Army

4th & 12th Field Ambulance, AIF

14th Battalion, AIF

by Robert Simpson

RQMS 1363 Thomas Carberry MM

Thomas Carberry was born in Parsonstown, Offally in Ireland on 23rd December 1882, a son to Thomas Carberry and Mary Sheerens. They had been married in 1875. He was the fourth of nine children and had 3 brothers and 5 sisters. Thomas (the father) had been born in Ireland but had lived in Scotland with his parents. He had joined the 46th Regiment of Foot in August 1869 as Private 1258. The regiment must have moved back to Ireland where he married Mary. He was discharged from the 46th Regiment of Foot as a Lance Corporal on 2nd October 1878. He had paid for his discharge in Bermuda. His conduct was described as good, with two good conduct badges. They lived in Ireland until 1887 when they departed London on the Jumna in August and arrived in Brisbane on 18th September. Possibly they came for the goldfields. They were certainly in Mt. Morgan. There is a mining note of Thomas Carberry applying for a residence area there and a Joseph Carberry (possibly one of his sons) being hurt in an explosion in local newspapers. Mary Carberry died in Mt. Morgan on 14th July 1897. The next record for the Carberry’s locates them at Kamballie, Kalgoorlie, Western Australia in the 1903 Electoral Roll, so they had moved there with the gold mining. They were living at 418 Bendigo St. and were also there in the 1906 roll where Thomas is listed as Jnr. and he was a miner. He may have been a member of the swimming club there as in 1907 for in a carnival a T. Carberry was given handicaps in the open section of races. He also easily won a teams’ race. The 1910 roll has him living at 14 Pirie St. Ivanhoe and he was still a miner. His father was also listed in the 1903 and 1906 rolls, living at 418 Bendigo St, and he was a labourer. His father died at Boulder, Western Australia on 18th October 1909 at the fairly young age of 55. His youngest three daughters inserted a memorial to him in the Kalgoorlie Miner newspaper on the 20th.

It would appear Thomas had some experiences in Western Australia which may have led him to joining the Medical Corps. The first incident occurred at a mine near Kalgoorlie which resulted in the death of a miner. At the Golden Horseshoe mine on Friday 9th April 1909 two miners were working underground when one shouted he was being overcome by fumes. The other man shouted to Thomas (it is not known if it was him or his father) to come and help, which he did. Thomas lowered this man down to the other and then sent down a rope to tie to the unconscious man. When asked to pull he did, but as the man came to the top of the mine, to his horror, the rope was not properly attached and the unconscious man was slipping through it. Before he could grab him, he slipped through and fell to the bottom. With more help the other person, who was now unconscious, was brought up, along with the body of the first miner. In another incident in 1910, some people were swimming in Parker’s dam, near Boulder, when one got into difficulties. His friends could not get him to shallow water, so one ran for the town and got the Constable. The Constable got Thomas, who was stated in the article as the instructor to the Boulder Swimming Club, to come with him. After racing out to the dam and diving a few times Thomas found the body. With assistance he tried artificial respiration, but to no avail.

Thomas attested with the Royal Army Medical Corps, 4th Field Unit on 14th September 1914 at Blackboy Hill in Perth and as a Private was given the service number 1363. His age of 31 was later changed to 28. His sister, Mrs Mary Simmonds of Baree, Mt. Morgan, Queensland was named as next of kin from a note from Mudros on 16th November 1915. It had originally been C. Collins, Willow Farm, South Australia. His description was 31years old, 5 foot 10 inches, weight 221 pounds, chest measurement of 41.5 to 44.5 inches, ruddy complexion, blue eyes, light brown hair and religious denomination of Roman Catholic. He had a scar on his right chest of 5 inches over the eighth rib and scars on left chest and abdomen from burns. He was appointed to C Section 4th Field Ambulance on 7th November 1914. A comment on his medical form noted to watch feet.

On 30th December, he embarked with the 4th Field Ambulance on HMAT Ajuna A31 from Fremantle. In one letter, he mentioned the A.E. 2 was with them as a scout. An entry in his records lists “proceeded to join M.E.F. at Gallipoli on 12/4/15” but it is not known when he arrived there. While at Gallipoli he was recommended to receive the D.C.M. as “Carberry, from Western Australia, proved his worth in another manner. The 4th Brigade were some distance up the gully and greatly in want of water. Carberry seems to have the knack of divining, for he selected a spot where water was obtained after sinking. General Monash drew my attention to this”. He was in Alexandria in December and was transferred to 12th Field Ambulance on 29th February 1916. They left Alexandria on the Scotian on 4th June to join the B.E.F. in France and disembarked at Marseilles on the 11th. A letter from his brother J. P. Carberry on 30th September 1915 was replied to by Base Records on 15th October 1915. The original letter is not in the files. They give an address to write to James Carberry 27 of the 9th Battalion and also query what information he has on Thomas as they have no documentation. What it is about is not stated, but they ask if he has any evidence to let them know or forward to them the details of the informant so they could check further. No other documentation follows, so it is not known what it was all about or what happened.

On 17th May 1916 he was detached from the 12th Field Ambulance for duty as Army Medical Corp Detail with the 14th Battalion. He was promoted to Corporal on 15th June. On 16th September, he was listed as being taken on strength of the 4th Field Ambulance as supernumerary and attached for duty with the 14th Battalion.

While on his way to France from Gallipoli and in France he sent a series of letters to a Mr. Sanderson M.L.C. in Western Australia. This must have been Archibald Sanderson, who was a journalist and then studied law and was elected to the Western Australian Legislative Council in 1912. As a journalist, he had worked in the goldfield area in 1894 where he cycled the area with notebook and camera reporting for New Zealand papers. Possibly they met then. What followed was a series of letters and typed copies of them which richly detail what Thomas saw and did at Gallipoli and in France and are dated from late 1915 to early 1918. He also sent back photos of himself and others at Gallipoli and a funf (5) mark note and a tag they use to attach to the wounded to classify what would be happening to them. The letters go into detail of the battles he saw and what went on, not only at Gallipoli, but also the Western Front.

Thomas was recommended to receive a Commander in Chief’s Congratulatory Card on 8th December 1916 as a Corporal in the 14th Battalion. The recommendation reads: “For his excellent work in charge of the Regt. Dug-out, to which I sent men likely to recover after 24 hours treatment. The whole arrangements were carried out without a hitch, though there were difficulties in getting rations and fuel. The dug-out was fitted out like an Ambulance Station, and especially impressed the Brigade Commander. Such thoroughness is merely a repetition of his usual energetic work, and at POZIERES he was especially recommended for his work in charge of stretcher bearers by Captain Browning, 6th Battalion, to whom I told him to report. His service dates from September 1914”.

In 1917, he was recommended three times; on 2nd March for a Mention in Despatches, on 15th April for a Distinguished Conduct Medal and on 22nd May for a Military Medal. He was awarded a Mention in Despatches as a Corporal in the 14th Battalion (AAMC) which was promulgated in the London Gazette on 1st June 1917 and he was awarded the Military Medal in France as a Lance Sergeant in the 4th Field Ambulance which was promulgated in the London Gazette on 18 June 1917.

The recommendation for his Mention in Despatches reads: “Recommended for continuous good work during 2 years service. His work on the GALLIPOLI Peninsula was excellent. At POZIERES 6th-13th August he was attached to Captain Browning A.A.M.C. R.M.O. (Regimental Medical Officer) 46th Battalion and received special recommendation for the way he carried out his duties. He was also present at MOQUET FARM August 26th-29th 1916.

In the neighbourhood of FLERS November 28th to December 6th 1916 he organised and managed a temporary hospital and rest station with the utmost efficiency and success. Again, in the same neighbourhood Jany 24th to Feby 6th 1917, he carried out the same work and added a cocoa and soup kitchen which supplied hot drinks to fatigue parties and reliefs at all hours of the day and night. Not satisfied with is accommodation he set to work and without expert advise or assistance conducted tunnelling operations and so improved and increased the size of his rest station.

On Feby 4th-6th at the R.A.F. in PILGRIMS WAY during 4th Brigade attack N.E. of GUEUDECOURT he was dressing wounded at one stage continuously for 12 hours, and he had to be ordered off duty to take food. He as been mentioned in despatches for work on GALLIPOLI and FRANCE and has also been preciously (previously?) recommended for Honours and Awards”. He was recommended by Lt. Colonel H Peck. He was acknowledged in Sir Douglas Haig’s Despatch of 9th April 1917.

On 22nd January 1917, he asked for his withholding pay to be increased from 4 to 7 shillings a day to be deposited in the Commonwealth Bank of Western Australia.

The recommendation for his DCM reads: “For conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty. On the night of the 10th, 11th April 17 during the attack on the HINDENBURG LINE opposite RIENCOURT this N.C.O. personally built a splinter proof R.A.P. (Regimental Aid Post), in itself a Herculean task owing to the short notice given. When the wounded streamed in he was indefatigable and ubiquitous in his care for the wounded. In addition, he organised stretcher and water parties and by his cheery manner encouraged all in his vicinity to re-double their efforts. He persisted in his efforts during the action amidst heavy shell fire despite the fact that he himself should have been evacuated owing to illness and extreme fatigue. This N.C.O. has distinguished himself on several previous occasions and I recommend him strongly for an award”. The post was located in a railway cutting and made of old railway sleepers found there.

For the award given of a Military Medal, the recommendation written by Lt. Colonel J. H. Peck reads: “During nights of 10/11th April 17 near Noriel this NCO undertook task to build a shrapnel proof shelter for first aid dressing station – near front line. When wounded commenced to come in he supervised dressing of wounded and organised new stretcher parties and parties to bring up water and fuel. He was on duty for 24 hours continuously. He has been recommended several times for previous good work”. He was awarded the Military Medal on 15th May and it stated his rank as Lance Sergeant, although no notification of this is in his records.

On 20th April 1917, he was promoted to Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant (Warrant Officer 1st Class). He was transferred from the 4th Field Ambulance to the 14th Battalion on 7th May 1917.

On 31st October 1917, Base Records sent a letter to one of his sisters, Mary, advising her he had been awarded a Mention in Despatch stating; “The following is in continuation of Sir Douglas Haig’s Despatch of 9th April, submitting names deserving of special mention, published in the London Gazette, of Tuesday, 15 May 1917.” In another letter, dated 31st October 1917, it states “HIS MAJESTY THE KING has been graciously pleased to award the Military Medal for bravery in the Field to the undermentioned non-commissioned officer: – No. 1363 Corporal THOMAS CARBERRY.” An article in the Rockhampton Morning Bulletin on Wednesday 7th November 1917 advises of the awarding of the Military Medal to Corporal Thomas Carberry, Twelfth Field Ambulance as noted in the letter from the Records Office to his sister at Baree, Mount Morgan, Mrs. M Simmonds. It stated he was a well known Mount Morgan person.

On 4th November 1917, he was admitted to the hospital as sick and rejoined his unit on 23rd December. It was listed as pyrexia of unknown origin. He proceeded to the Australian Infantry Base Depot at Havre to undergo a Medical Board on 31st January 1918. He was sent to England in February to be sent home and was listed as Rheumatism Class P.B.

In February 1918, he was admitted to hospital with rheumatism. He stated he had it on Gallipoli and it started when he was mining in a wet mine. The notes list him as being a “huge obese man.” As Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant 1363 14th Battalion, he returned to Australia on 5th April 1918 on the Borda A30. He appeared on the Kalgoorlie Amateur Swimming Club roll of honour which was unveiled in late 1918, but the newspaper has him as S. Carberry M.M. His sister Mary, signed for his Form of Warrant for Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant T. Carberry as a temporary Warrant Officer (Class 2) on 10th April 1918. His conduct sheet was signed on 27th May 1918 with no entry certified on it. A medical certificate of the same date stated he suffered from rheumatism. Another medical record noted that and also that he got trench fever in France and was nervous and easily excited since once being blown up by a shell explosion. The report noted he was unfit for general and home service. He requested his discharge from the A.I.F. at No. 8 Australian General Hospital Fremantle. On 10th June 1918, he was discharged.

A brother, James, joined in Brisbane and as Driver 27 embarked with the 9th Battalion on 24th September 1914 on HMAT Rangatira A22. He was a miner, born in Ireland in 1881 (although his WW1 record states he was born in Mt. Morgan), and gave an address of 16 Wilson St, Kangaroo Point, Brisbane. His next of kin was another brother, P Joseph Carberry of the same address. James had previous military experience with 2 years in the Border Horse in the Boer War. He attested on 7th January 1902 as No. 880 and was signed up by Colonel Ricardo. In WW1, James was sent to Gallipoli. He returned to Australia on 4th August 1915 as a Corporal and was discharged on 28th April 1916. It would appear he was sent back due to a case of V.D.

On 30th May 1918 Thomas was living at 60 Bulwer St. Perth and was receiving a pension from the army of 25 shillings a fortnight. A newspaper article on 29th November 1918 has Warrant Officer Carberry, late of the Recruiting Department, leaving shortly for Penang. He had applied to the Department of Repatriation for 20 pounds to help him travel to Singapore for employment, but they refused it, even though he was willing to repay it. He was unable to find suitable employment here and so was going there with a reference from a Sydney Yeo in Perth. A series of references gives some clue to what he did is Singapore and when. The first one from Bungi & Sungei Tin Mines signed in April 1921 stated he had worked for them for 8 months and he was “a hard and conscious (conscientious?) worker and a thoroughly proficient miner in all classes of mines work and a man who gets good work from his labour force”. The next one from The Barber Asphalt Company in December 1924 praises his good work as a road superintendent and thoroughly recommends him. An article in a Western Australian newspaper in 1926 states “Mr. T. Carberry, of Singapore, who has been touring the Eastern States, arrived at Perth on the Trans. Train this morning. After spending about six weeks in Perth, he will return to Singapore, where he is interested in road construction work.”

While in Singapore he married Lorna Dorothy Mary Golding on 20th November 1926. It was mentioned in the Straits Times newspaper on the 27th. They were married at the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd. Thomas was noted as being of this Municipality. Lorna lived in Kalgoorlie in the 1925 Electoral Roll, so she may have met Thomas there before the war. A final reference from the Municipal Office Singapore in February 1930 stated he had been employed by them for 8 years as Roads Superintendent and discussed his varied experience and ability in that area and gives a glowing recommendation of him. In March 1930, a letter from a friend tells of his concern of Thomas being ill and in hospital for four month. It also mentions him going back to Australia on the S.S. Mindoro in April. A letter from the Ex-Service Association of Malaya agrees to pay for all of his hospital stay and passage to Australia and six months of compassionate pay for him. Another three letters from the Municipal Office Singapore in April 1930 are other glowing references and state he is leaving due to health reasons. They all acknowledge his good work and how he would not be easily replaced.

While in Singapore he continued corresponding with Mr. Sanderson and his family. He mentions he has “had his share of fever”, which was presumably malaria. He asks if he could be sent his dairy and map as he had lost what he had taken there and he wanted to finish writing up his story. He did finish the Gallipoli part of his story and it makes for a very interesting read.

He passed away in West Perth on 30th January 1931 at the young age of 48. He is buried with Lorna’s father and brother in Karrakatta Cemetery although it states his age as 44 years. The grave is in the Roman Catholic area, Section BC, Gravesite 0062. A thank you from his wife was entered in the West Australian Perth newspaper on 12th February. A memorial from his friends was also posted the next year. Lorna worked as a shopkeeper around the time of his death at Newcastle St., which was also the family home according to his death notice. The funeral notice noted they were going to proceed from Lorna’s parents’ house at Cleaver St, to be at the cemetery by 3pm. The West Australian newspaper had a funeral notice on the 3rd February 1931 which said the funeral took place in the Roman Catholic Cemetery on Saturday afternoon and he lived at 550 Newcastle St, Perth. “Mr. Carberry was for about 11 years connected with the Municipality of Singapore and for the last 12 months had lived in West Perth, where he renewed many old friendships, made during previous visits here”. It also noted he served in the war and that there were a large number of relatives and friends and many wreaths and floral tributes were received. Lorna must have sold the business as in the next Electoral Roll she is living at 14 Cleaver St. Perth and is listed as doing home duties. He was listed in The Western Front section of the Western Mail newspaper on 12th February as follows- Thomas Carberry, on January 29; late Sergeant-Major, 14th Battalion, A.I.F. A letter written to Lorna in 1936 stated that Thomas was one of the writer’s greatest friends and he was a great example to the other men.

Lorna remarried to Arthur John Dear sometime between 1937 and 1943 (listed as Carberry in 1937 Electoral Roll and Dear in 1943, possibly married in 1942?) and they lived in Kondinin until his retirement, and then Perth until her death on 29th October 1993. Her ashes were sent to Karrakatta Cemetery in November of that year. Arthur worked at Kondinin at the pumping station as a pumper. It appears they had at least one child, a girl called Suzanne Mary Dear. She was a truck driver.

His medal entitlement was Military Medal, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory medal with oak leaf.

ANZAC Biographies

On our website you will find the biographical details of ANZAC (as well as British) servicemen & women

whose medals or other memorabilia form part of the collection belonging to the

Maryborough Military & Colonial Museum,

Maryborough, Queensland, Australia.

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