Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Thomas (Tom) Brooks was known to his mates as "Farmer Brooks" because that was his vocation. Born in Kangaroo Valley NSW on 11 November 1886 he was the son of Alfred and Anne Maria Brooks of "The Lindens" Barrengarry. He enlisted on 17 August 1915 at the age of 27 years. A large contingent of men from the Valley had signed up at this time.
Tom was no stranger to firearms as was the norm in rural Australia. He tested his luck as an 18 year old, snagging his gun while putting on his coat. The gun accidentally discharged injuring his chest and blowing off part of his right ear.
Tom embarked from Sydney on 2 November 1915 on the HMAT Euripides as part of the 6th Reinforcement of the 20th Battalion (A Company). Fred Wright, Bill Mathers, Bill Walker and Eric Tate of the Valley were also on board.
Despite time in hospital for a bout of the mumps contracted onboard, he entered France at Marseilles on 25 March 1916 and proceeded to the front. He was in the frontline with Eric Tate near Armentieres when the German artillery soon turned their full attention and work ethic on the 20th. Eric Tate wrote:
"It was simply hell for two hours and a half. What has me thinking is how so many escaped to tell the strength of it. Brooks and I were in the same post and neither of us feel any worse for our experience."
The 20th Battalion was then moved into the Somme in July and attacked in the Battle of Pozieres starting 23 July. The operation was a success but casualties were high. While attacking the German trench known as OG1 the 20th came under heavy machine gun and shell fire when their presence was observed.
Tom Brooks was amongst 59 20th Battalion casualties, killed when struck in the back by a piece of shell, the impact tearing his backpack and other gear from him.
The enemy shelling that the Australians experienced at Pozieres is widely considered to be the most devastating of that experienced throughout the entire war. Valley mate Fred Wright wrote from his hospital bed:
"It was like being in hell for three days."
The family were advised by telegram on 19 September 1916 of Tom's death.
On 16 March 1917 Tom's older brother Bill had ridden to the Barrengarry Post Office and was handed a package from the War Office for his father Alf. Bill rode hard for home but in his haste the horse lost its footing in a creek bed and Bill has thrown from the horse, fracturing his skull. He never regained consciousness and died the next day from his injuries. The war had taken another life 10,000 miles away.
Thomas Brooks body was lost to the earth, the fate of so many of those killed in this war. Alf Brooks wrote to the Army on several occasions trying to ascertain the whereabouts of Tom's grave. He also planned a trip to France in 1920 to conduct his own search. That did not happen.
Thomas Brooks' name appears on the Villers-Bretonneux War Memorial in France and on the war memorial in the main street of Kangaroo Valley NSW.