Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

A grave in Coonabarabran among a handful of Gallipoli veterans at the old cemetery is of Driver Thomas Howlett 1228 of the 20th Battalion Australian Imperial Force, the uncle of Jack Howlett the Baradine Saddler. Tom was born in Brewarrina and his family travelled by horse and cart contract fencing between there and Walgett. While camping on the river at Walgett he was badly burnt as a boy in a tent fire and given a week to live. An old Aboriginal woman in town heard about his condition and went out to him, mixed up traditional bush medicine and saved his life.
He initially enlisted with the 9th Australian Light Horse and transferred to the Infantry on the 1st March 1915 with the 13th Battalion at Liverpool but by April was posted to D Company 20th Battalion 5th Brigade. On his medical report he gave his age as 21 but at the time was 27.
When Tom arrived at ANZAC Cove as a private, his brother Trooper Sidney Howlett was already on the right flank fighting with the 6th Australian Light Horse. The 20th Battalion was given the trenches at Russell’s Top to defend. Between there and Baby 700 is where the Nek was located and the scene of the devastating charge of the 8th and 10th Light Horse on foot. Russell’s Top was the highest place on Gallipoli and the Infantry had dragged a section of artillery guns to the position. The trenches were 8 feet deep with firing positions to shoot at advancing Turkish soldiers. Tom lost a lot of weight while fighting on Gallipoli. In December 1915 the Australian troops left Gallipoli in the cover of darkness. Each unit had to supply a hand full of volunteers, bravest of men to cover the retreat so as to not let the Turks know they were withdrawing. Tom Howlett was one of the volunteers for his Battalion and if the Turks found out the Australians were going, the men left to last would have been captured or killed. Tom left ANZAC Cove that night and travelled to Alexandria, Egypt.
The 20th Battalion fought throughout France and Belgium with Tom becoming a horse team transport driver in May 1916. Tom surviving the war to sail for home from England on the ship ‘Argyllshire’ in December 1918. He was medically discharged from the army on 12 April 1919 from 2nd Military District Sydney with deficient eyesight.
After the war he went back to contract fencing around Dunedoo and Mendooran and rabbit trapping at Coona. Tom’s permanent residence ended up being a bush camp with a calico tent and timber frame in bush behind the high school. He walked to town everyday to talk to people in the main street and smoke his pipe. He would go to the Imperial Hotel and chat with the bar maid, May Mathews. Tom died in 1957 of heart failure and old age being buried at the old cemetery by Bobble Harper. His niece, Daphne Howlett lives in Coona today. Tomas Howlett is a man who was part of Coonabarabran and part of the ANZAC legend.