Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Clarence, known as Clarrie, was the first child of Louisa Mary and Thomas Pickett, born on the 22nd October 1905 in a small Victorian country town called Jeparit. This area near Lake Hindmarsh in the Wimmera region was known as a wheat farming town. Clarrie had three siblings, Ivy, Roy, Don and Rufus. Clarrie had just turned eighteen when sadly, Rufus died on the 19th November ’23 before his first birthday. He was buried at the local Jeparit Cemetery.
The family moved to Ardrossan where Clarrie attended the Mincowie School, where, as a fourteen-year-old he performed a major role in celebrating Empire Day with a concert that was totally student-run and every child contributed an item. Clarrie’s role was as a chairman with the students raising funds for the Red Triangle.
Clarrie was a generous participant in local activities, including as the ‘energetic secretary’ for the Stansbury Football Club which held numerous dances, fundraising for the Club. As a player, he was prominent on the field. Off the field, Clarrie was involved in the local Scout and Club Troop which, in June ’32 decided to run an athletic club and physical culture class, with Clarrie recommended to Headquarters as an instructor.
Clarrie and Louie Mabel Hyde announced their forthcoming marriage in February ’34 in the Advertiser, stating ‘HYDE —PICKETT. —The marriage of Louie M., second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. A. C. Hyde, Ardrossan, to Clarence T., eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. T. Pickett, Jeparit, Vic, will be solemnised at Ardrossan Methodist Church, Thursday, 22nd February, at 7.30 p.m. Friends and relatives cordially invited to ceremony. No reception.’ Louis was farewelled at the Methodist Lecture Hall where she was presented with a crystal bowl on behalf of the Girl's Club. As was traditional in those times, Clarrie responded on her behalf.
After their marriage, Clarrie continued to play football for Brentwood, usually in the centre, being a reliable goal scorer and clean team player. He was also chosen to play in the Southern Yorke Peninsula Combined team against Curramulka in September ’34 and again was a reliable and consistent player.
Clarrie and Louisa (Louie) had two sons, with the first, James born in August ‘36 at Curramulka. Clarrie worked as a repairer until, aged 36 he enlisted on the 23rd February ’42 and was allocated the number SX17621, initially in the Labour Company until August that year when he was placed in the 2/48th Battalion as part of their reinforcements. With the other new enlistees, Clarrie travelled to Melbourne to sail for the Middle East. Unfortunately, on the voyage, Clarrie experienced a severe case of sea-sickness, spending several days in hospital before finally arriving on the 8th October. His early days were spent in a Staging Camp before joining the ranks of the depleted 2/48th Battalion at the commencement of November. For the next three months he learned about being part of the battalion that would later be held in such high regard. With many of the survivors having been in the Middle East since the commencement of the war, the battalion left the Middle East at the start of February the following year, returning to Australia via Melbourne.
Training in Queensland followed, to acclimatize the troops to the humidity they would experience in New Guinea, but the conditions of being a soldier had played havoc with Clarrie’s knee, with him eventually being diagnosed with osteoarthritis in both knees. Several weeks of hospitalization followed, until he finally returned to the 2/48th in August ’43. A week later he left Cairns and disembarked at Milne Bay to face a totally different enemy and in a very different setting. The tropical conditions contributed to Clarrie contracting a severe case of dermatitis, necessitating further treatment. A few hours of being absent without leave at this time, fortunately resulted in just an admonishment from his Commanding Officer before he was able to re-join the 2/48th at the start of October. This time was all too short as he was wounded in action on November 17th in a massive, frontal fight for Coconut Ridge. Clarrie’s Company faced machine gun fire on the ground and snipers hidden in the trees. He was extremely fortunate to survive, sustaining a gunshot wound to the left side of his neck, but others in his battalion were less fortunate in the encounter to take control of Fougasse Corner. There, the soldiers faced sporadic shelling, including on a weapons pit. Clarrie was immediately treated and by the 8th of December, he and other wounded men from the battalion had time in the Details Depot.
Back home, the 9th December issue of the Chronicle reported on those in Clarrie’s battalion who had been injured or killed in the assault. They were Killed In Action.— SX7651 Pte. Ronald G. Bowen, Burra; SX12975 Pte. Arnold C. Kerber. Mount Torrens; SX13763 Pte. Eric K. Reynolds, Novar Gardens. Wounded In Action.— SX6837 L-Sgt. Dean H. Adams. Forestville; SX7093 Lt/Sgt. Norman L. Badman, Pinnaroo; SX15377 Pte. William V. Davidson. Mitcham; SX7629 Pte. Charles H. Hewitt. Tumby Bay: SX17852 Pte. Douglas C. Maher. Renmark; SX7292 Pte. Angus J. McMahon, Mitcham; SX17621 Pte. Clarence T. Pickett. ArdrossanSX7690 Pte. Fredrick. C. Serle, Inf.. Robe. Seriously Ill: SX7885 Lt. Angus C. Dodd, Inf., Glenelg.
Illness continued to stalk Clarrie as he developed a very high temperature (Pyrexia of Unknown Origin), followed by Dengue Fever before he returned to the 2/48th on the 16th January ’44, leaving Port Moresby to return to Australia on the 22nd February. Still unwell, Clarrie developed an Upper Respiratory Tract infection, followed by a recurrence of malaria, before he was finally able to return to his battalion towards the end of May ’44 and thence to the Mobile Wing School of Mechanisation in August.
Clarrie was finally discharged on the 9th November ’44, moving to live in Victoria. His 64-year-old father, Thomas died on the 4th December ’39 in the St Vincent’s Hospital and was buried in the Springvale Botanical Cemetery Victoria, where five years later 64-year-old Louisa died at her home in November ’44 and was buried with Thomas.
Clarrie lived to be 65 and died on the 9th June ’71 at Merlynston in Victoria. His ashes were placed in the Fawkner Memorial Park 4th Ave Wall Niches, Wall 1 Section C, Niche 216. A memorial to his war service is now part of a Monument in the Victorian Garden of Remembrance, Springvale Victoria. Louie lived a much longer life and died in 1998.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.