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Patrick (Pat) was the third son born on the 18th December, 1919 in Broken Hill an isolated city in the outback, on the New South Wales and South Australian border, an area rich in minerals, especially silver, lead and zinc. His parents were James Patrick and Ellen Elizabeth Hoare. James had been born at Carrieton in the Flinders Rangers of South Australia but lived at The Hill since boyhood where he worked in the mines for many years before working on the land at Pooncarie Station. He then took over the Fowler's Gap Hotel for several years but returned to Broken Hill in early 1930. He and Elizabeth had eleven children, five boys and six girls. Sadly, when Patrick was eleven, his 54-year-old father died at home in June 1931, and was buried in the Broken Hill Roman Catholic Cemetery.
Following in his father’s footsteps, Patrick worked as a farm hand on nearby stations once he had left school. This work often entailed him droving with stock from the stations.
With the outbreak of WWII, active campaigning for young men, particularly those from country areas meant that Broken Hill was an ideal recruiting ground as it had a large population of single men. A report from the Barrier Miner in November ’39 reported that ‘Recruiting reopened today, and in the morning session 10 men were accepted. None were objected to because of man power restrictions, and one man was rejected because he was under the required height—5ft. 6in.’
By July the following year, three of the Hoare brothers, 25-year-old John Nye, 24-year-old George Francis and 21-year-old Patrick, had enlisted of the seven young men. Tellingly, the ‘Barrier Miner’ that month added that ‘A fourth and younger son who filled in his papers last night, could not obtain his parent's consent today. He was the fifth member of the Hoare family to apply for enlistment. Another brother made application to join the 2/8th Field Ambulance, but was rejected because he was medically unfit’. However, by the 5th July, the fourth and youngest, William Edward had successfully managed to convince Ellen that he could enlist. By the 8th July the four brothers were on the train for Adelaide for their second medical before going into camp for training. They made up half of the eight-man contingent.
Officially the brothers enlisted on the 10th July, 1940 at Wayville in South Australia and were allocated successive numbers, John SX8467, Patrick SX8468, William Howard SX8469, and George SX8470 and all were allocated to the newly formed 2/48th Battalion. Following training in the bleak conditions of Woodside, by the end of the month Patrick was back home in the Broken Hill hospital as part of his leave allocation, but being treated for pneumonia with three other fellow enlistees. He did recover and was soon back with his Battalion.
A beautifully written piece was published in the ‘Barrier Miner’ at the end of October ’40: ‘Touching Scene "The, widow's son"--A phrase which at the very dawn of the Christian era evoked sympathy but how much more poignant the little scene at the railway station on Wednesday night when a widow said goodbye to four of her sons, who belong to the A.I.F. A fifth son had enlisted, but had been rejected. The mother was Mrs. J. Hoare, and her sons, Messrs.- Jack, George, Pat and Bill Hoare. While on leave a party was arranged in their honor by their aunt, Mrs. J. Howley, and about 40 other members of the fighting forces on leave in Broken Hill were also invited to the function, together with their relatives and friends. In all about 300 people attended Tait's Masonic Hall, which had been loaned by Mrs Dearlove. The hall was beflagged, and when the party broke up, resounded to the strains of "Auld Lang Syne."’
They four brothers left on the ‘Stratheden’ heading for the Middle East, arriving on the 17th November ’40. Their fate in Tobruk and beyond was yet to be written. The brothers came to be known as the ‘Four musketeers from Broken Hill’ who wrote regularly to their mother, with their photo and a thank you published in the ‘Barrier Miner’ in March ’41 stating that ‘Word has been received from the four musketeers of Broken Hill (pictured above)-George, Jack. Bill, and Joe Hoare-who are overseas on service with the A.I.F. The Hoare brothers were members of a party of drovers who enlisted in a body at the local recruiting depot last year. Another brother also enlisted, but was rejected as medically unfit. In a letter to their parents they state they have been getting many gifts from the Comforts Fund, and cannot understand the criticism that has been levelled at this fund by returning men. They mention they have seen "Gidder" Castle, who has been sent from England, and Jack Toohey.’
Back home, any news of the men overseas was shared through the local newspapers. A letter from Pte. Cal Howely was published in June ’41 with the ‘Barrier Daily Truth’ reporting ‘his friends will be glad to know that he has been in action and in the best of health. Cal was one of the first local boys to enlist, and one of the first to go overseas. He was very happy to encounter the four Hoare boys, who are cousins of his, a few days before he wrote the letter, and he also wished to be remembered to his friends at home.’ Another local, Private Collin Campbell, also serving in the Middle East reported: 'Things are very tough out here in the desert. The dust storms are ten times worse than in Broken Hill and they blow for days and days at a time. The din of bombing and shell fire, and machine gun fire are terrific at times.’ This was Tobruk and the makings of the Rats of Tobruk.
Aged just 22, Patrick was killed on the 25th October, ’42 in Egypt in the fierce fighting undertaken by the Allieds to capture Trig 29. Charles Holman (SX13570), also from Broken Hill, who enlisted at a similar time, was also killed in the same offensive. In his book, ‘Tobruk to Tarakan’, John Glenn describes ‘the 2/48th had stirred up a real hornets’ nest’ On that night alone 9 of the Battalion were killed and 20 wounded in action. Of these 16 were from South Australia and the remainder from Western Australia. the conditions where ‘arrangements were made for ‘mines, wire ammunition, food, water, overhead cover, sandbags, tools, anti-tank guns, and all the rest, and holding the present position while preparing to launch another attack. And while all this was being done, the battalion was subjected to murderous fire from artillery and mortars. It says much for the battle-drill of the battalion and supporting arms that everything worked out smoothly, going off without a hitch.
‘The suddenness of this attack when it came, and the devastation caused by the artillery fire, created tremendous confusion in the enemy lines, leaving them no option but to make every effort to locate out exact position and try to seal off the penetration. Patrols of both sides were active; a number of clashes occurred in No Man’s Land. In the early hours of the morning a strong enemy patrol, led by a German officer, approached the left flank of D Company; there they came under the fire of Pat Hoare’s Bren gun. The officer soon fell, whereupon the patrol withdrew, carrying their wounded.’
‘At last light on the same front some three hundred enemy troops attacked, and D Company area was swept by small arms fire. During the action Private Pat Hoare was killed and Lance-Corporal Henry Lohmann was so badly hit that he died soon after.’
The Barrier Miner on the 11th November ’42 carried the news of Patrick and Charles’s deaths. ‘PRIVATE Patrick Hoare (23), son of Mrs. J. Hoare, of Lane, and the late Mr. J. Hoare, has been reported killed in action in Egypt. Pte. Charles Holman; of Marks Street, has also been reported killed in action in Egypt. These casualties were announced today. Pte. Hoare is one of four brothers who enlisted together in Broken Hill. and have been abroad for two years. The other brothers are Ptes. Jack, George and William Hoare. A fourth brother, Mr. J. W. Hoare, who is prominent in A.R.P. circles, was rejected by the A.I.F. Mrs. Hoare was notified in a telegram this morning. As the telegram delivery boy left her home she called to her daughter, "I have another cable; come and hear the news." She received a severe shock to read the tragic news. The four brothers, who have been together right through their A.I.F. service, have been in the habit of cabling once a week stating that they were well. Pte. Patrick Hoare was 23 years of age. He was born in Broken Hill. The four brothers in the A.I.F. had all been engaged on station work.’ The Barrier Daily Truth further explained that they had missed cabling home ‘owing to their being in action. It was a shock for the Hoare family to find that instead of a further cable from the boys, the telegram told of the death of one of them.’
The full extent of the losses was reported in the Chronicle later that month. Killed In Action.— SX8468 Pte. Patrick H. Hoare. 2/48th North Broken Hill (NSW); SX13570 Pte. Charles Holman, 2/48th Broken Hill; SX7771 Pte. Henry O. Lohmann, 2/48th, Murray Bridge; SX6848 Cpt. Alfred F. Meyer. 2/48th Renmark: SX3149 Col. Arthur H. Peters. 2/48th Macclesfield; . SX11768 Pte. John R. Smith, 2/48th Wardang Island; SX13535 Pte. Allan L. Thessinger, 2/48th, Jamestown. Died Of Wounds.— SX8164 Fte. Sydney R. Borowski, 2/43rd Burra; SX11376 Pte. James H. Bowes, 2/43rd Renmark; SX13162 Pte. Thomas B. Cosgrave, 2/48th Macclesfield: SX7917 Pte. Leslie A. King, Adelaide. Frank McCullough (SX12977) from Broken Hill was wounded at the same time. He served with the 2/43rd.
Overwhelmed by the support she received on the loss of Patrick, his mother Ellen placed a thank you in the Barrier Daily Truth: ‘MRS. E. Hoare and Family wish to THANK till kind relatives and friends for telegrams, cards, letters, and personal expressions of sympathy in their sad bereavement. Will all please accept this as our personal thanks.’
Patrick was initially reburied in the El Alamein British Military Cemetery in April ’43 with Corporal Henry Lohmann SX7771, Private Ernest W. S. Moore SX11130 and Private Allan Thessinger SX13535 all from the 2/48th who were killed on the same day as Patrick. He and others were then finally transferred to the El Alamein War Cemetery with Patrick now resting in Plot XXII Row B Grave 16 with others from the 2/13th 2/23rd nearby - all of whom were killed in 1942.
His mother chose the inscription ‘In Memory of our Loving Son, Patrick. His Duty Nobly Done. R.I.P.’ for his headstone at El Alamein. She and the family continued to remember their son and brother in the ensuing years with an In Memorium in the ‘Barrier Daily News’.
October 1943, HOARE— In loving memory of our dear Son and Brother, Pte. P. H. -Joe-Hoare. SX8468, killed in action at El Alamein, on October 25. 1942. Ever Remembered. R.I.P. Inserted- by his loving mother, brothers, and sisters.
October 1945, HOARE— In loving memory of our dear Son and Brother, Pte. P. H. -Joe-Hoare. SX8468, killed in action at El Alamein, on October 25. 1942. Ever remembered by his loving Mother, Sisters and Brothers.
October 1947, HOARE — In loving memory of our dear son and brother SX8468 Pte Patrick Henry Hoare, killed in action at El Alamein, October 25. 1942. Sadly missed by his loving mother, sisters and brothers.
Back home in ’44, a pamphlet was sponsored by the Lady Mayoress, appealing for whole hearted support of the First Victory Loan. It contained messages from six local Broken Hill women all closely connected with the war effort who well appreciated the constant need for money to end the war as quickly as possible. Each woman was chosen because of her connection with some particular branch of war service. The ‘Barrier Daily Truth’ explained that ‘no-one has a closer link with the AIF than Mrs. E. E. Hoare. of 636 Lane Lane, Broken Hill is proud of her four sons who enlisted early in the war.’ She and the other five women were congratulated on their ‘stirring and personal method of approach to Broken Hill women…so that ‘ millions like them will live in a peaceful world once more.’
In November ‘45 a large Armistice Celebration was held at the Broken Hill Soldiers’ Memorial. It was the first ceremony held at the Fallen Soldiers' clock to celebrate the first Armistice of World War ll. A huge number of returned servicemen from both wars attended with floral tributes from both public and private citizens being laid. The ‘Barrier Miner’ reported that there were wreaths ‘In memory of Pte. Pat Hoare, killed in action at El Alamein, October 25, 1943, ever remembered by his loving mother, sisters, sisters-in-law, brothers, and brothers-in-law; In memory of Pte. Roy Toohey, killed in action at Tarakan on May 6, 1945 ever remembered by Mrs. E. Hoare and family; In loving memory of our dear son and brother, Pte. William O'Reilly, killed in action on Bougainville, July, 1945, ever remembered by his loving mother, father, sister and brothers; Loving memory of Pte. A. R. Wright, killed in action, Palestine, Nov. 6, 1917, and Pte. J. D. (Snowy) Wright (10th Batt.), died November 6, 1927, from loving sister and brother-in-law (Mrs. and Mr. R. Goudie).
Two little boys were born in 1946. The first was to Patrick’s sister Eileen Olds in April. She named her son Patrick John in honour of her young brother Patrick Henry who was killed in action and her older brother, John. John and his wife Eileen also had a baby boy the same year in October and similarly named him Patrick. Their young brother certainly would continue to be remembered.
As so many Broken Hill young men had enlisted to serve, Anzac Day celebrations were always a poignant tribute to the fallen of both World Wars. The ’47 Dawn service was described in the ‘Barrier Daily Truth’. ‘Just before dawn groups of men standing near the Soldiers Hostel formed up and marched to the war memorial; past the crowd of silent citizens where they gathered as 'Stand To' and then the 'Last Post' and 'Reveille' were played by Bugler J. Keenen, as the first streaks of dawn appeared in the eastern sky. The impressive short ceremony was pregnant with meaning and the spirit of Anzac as the long dead comrades and friends came to mind. No one but felt the deep solemnity of this occasion, the 32nd Anzac Day. By daylight the Memorial presented a beautiful sight bedecked with the numbers of wreaths from relatives and friends.’ Wreaths were laid for the two friends in the 2/48th Battalion, killed at the same time – Private Patrick Hoare and L/Cpl Charles Holman with each wreath being from their family and friends. They were not forgotten.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.