Virtual
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Australia

Max was born at Maitland on the 3rd January, 1916. Post school he became a butcher at Prospect, meeting a young graduate of the School of Arts and Crafts, Unita Gladys Fullgrabe of Findon to whom he became engaged in April ’39. They married on the 9th March ’40 at St. Cuthbert's Church of England in Prospect. Just a month later, 24-year-old Max enlisted to serve in WWII on the 5th July. He was allocated the number SX8032 in the 2/48th Battalion.
For the new soldiers, initial days were spent in the cold of the Pavilions, now part of the Royal Adelaide Showgrounds. Unfortunately, Alex contracted scabies but was able to re-join his battalion which headed to Woodside in the Adelaide Hills for their preliminary training. He spent his pre-embarkation leave with Unita before returning to the 2/48th Battalion. The contingent then embarked on the Stratheden for the Middle East, on the 7th November 1940. Max arrived in the Middle East on the 19th December 1940 completing a few months training in Cyrenaica before the 2/48th Battalion went to Tobruk at the start of April 1941 where the dust, flies, heat, minimal water supplies and constant bombardment were quite a challenge. They were to become the famed Rats of Tobruk.
At a similar time, his young daughter Maxine was born in October 6th ’41 but just days later whilst in Dimra in October ’41, Max was hospitalised with a lung disease (P.U.C.) caused by the desert dust. He was eventually able to re-join his battalion in December.
In his book Tobruk to Tarakan John Glenn comments on the exodus of troops from Syria at the end of ’41 and the speculation that was rife: ‘The wishful thinkers held the floor: they put forward a thousand good reasons why the 9th Division should follow. News of the fall of Singapore on 15th February added to the strength of their arguments. Midway through February original members of the battalion left for Australia for special instruction work. These men had served the unit well, and we wished them luck and envied them going.’ Sergeant Max Thomas was one of the four named. Max well remembered the Brushy’s thrust line concept, a tank and troop manoeuvre, designed to permit infantry to indicate targets more easily. It was so successful it was photographed and sent to the London War Office.
Max, in a wonderfully empathetic gesture, wrote to the Peterborough Times and Northern Advertiser about a local, Alex Hardy from the 2/48th Battalion who had been killed in action.
"This short letter is my tribute to dear Alex, and I would like you to read it to his mother and father, sisters and brothers. What I am going to write may make you all very sad, but it is intended as a tribute so please draw what little solace you may from it.
"I am broken-hearted and I know that you all must be, but let us reconcile each other with the knowledge that he died a hero, the sacrifice he gave was made willingly, without thought of redress; his cheerful loyalty and devotion to his duty will be sadly missed by all his comrades. It hurts me deeply when I think of Alex and the experiences that we had together and I feel so very unworthy of my own good fortune— however at the end of 12 months I am scheduled to re-join my unit— just like going home and finding nobody to greet you.
"I was profoundly moved when I saw his photo in the paper, I remembered all the little things he used to do and say, particularly how when we were crouching in our dug-out at Tobruk with shells bursting about us, I used to sing sentimental songs for him. The plans for the future that we had made, and how we used to talk about you all at home, and mail days we would read our letters to each other. He had no enemies, he loved you all deeply, respectfully and tenderly, let us all feel proud of him and all that he has done.
"The day I left the unit to come home I went to see him, he was on special duty with his section away from our barracks. We talked a while about nothing in particular and then we parted—no "Goodbyes" —friends like Alex and I don't say "Goodbye". It was just "Good luck, Kid," to each other and he turned and walked back along the track to his tent. I watched him go, he did not look back. I feel that one day I will find his grave with his little wooden cross, I will know then that I have reached my "Journey's End." — Now I wish I had not left him. Dear folks I must close now— perhaps one day I will come to Peterborough and see you all, and I will be able to tell you things about our beloved Alex. Yours sincerely, Max."
Sergeant Max and others with whom Alex served in the 2/48th continued to mourn the loss of this vibrant young man. They included Eddie King SX7785, Don Gordon SX7711, Len Batty SX7605, Hedley Pratt SX7721, William Foster SX7263 and Slugger Sutherland.
Advertiser, Tuesday 25 August 1942, HARDING. —On July 22, In Egypt. Alex, devoted friend of Sgt. Max Thomas (AIF- returned). —Ever remembered by Max, Nita and Maxine.

In September ’42 Max had a week’s leave before in February ’43 undertaking an Army Course for potential officers, in which he achieved highly. By July ’43 Max was promoted to Acting Lieutenant, and unusually returned to the 2/48th Battalion, a practie that did not regularly occur By November ’43 he was in New Guinea in totally different terrain and against a far different enemy that in Tobruk. In one offensive, tanks were unable to move onto a ridge. Engineers then concocted a mix of petrol and dieseline, known as fou, (from Fougasse). This mixture was electrically fired with the intention of providing a pall of smoke in all directions and that would burn for at least five minutes, giving Lieutenants Thomas and McKinnon and the A Company covering to then regain their position. In his book, Tobruk to Tarakan, John Glenn explained that ‘Unfortunately, the fou, dissipated by the first great explosion, had gone out.‘ A Company ‘after twenty minutes of intensive firing, the high ground was seized and occupied’. To the credit of the men, ‘Forty-six Jap dead were counted on the slopes of Fourgasse Corner near where A and D Companies consolidated in the half dark after an advance of four hundred yards.’ Farquhar In an early book titled Derrick V.C. described the encounter. “Tank support was not possible in the wretched terrain. Led by the recently returned Max Thomas, they found the going slow and difficult. Held by about fifty Japanese, two sections charged in the final assault. Fifteen defenders fell where they had fought. The platoon lost two men killed, both originals of the 2/48th battalion.’ He also commented that “Ho! Ho! Ho!s reverberated through the ranges. It was a major blow to Japanese resistance. Forty-six enemy dead were counted; the 2/48th suffered nine wounded.’ (The call of Ho! Ho! Ho!s was a cry of the Battalion.)
Max continued to be affected by malaria causing him to be hospitalised, but he was able to return to his battalion on the 6th November ’43. Almost immediately he was involved at Sattelberg leading the 7th platoon, encountering approximately 50 Japanese on top of Green Ridge. In fighting at Sattelburg ‘Diver’ Derrick made an epic charge to take the spur, an action which became symbolic of his heroism, eventually hoisting the Australian flag. During the morning, many of his mates in A Company walked the half mile to congratulate him. Farquhar commented that ‘Peering down that precipitous slope at the vast number of foxholes straddling the track, Max Thomas exclaimed, “Hell, you’ll get another gong for this, Diver.” Grinning, he retorted, “I might catch up with Tex (Weston) now.” Tex had been awarded a D.C.M. and M.M.
Malaria continued to stalk Max. He was again affected mid-January ’44 and had several more incidents throughout that year. Finally, with peace declared, He was eventually discharged in May ’46.
Aged 79, Max died on the 8th January ’55 and was buried at Centennial Park in the General Section, Path 15A, Grave 273A. Unita lived to be 87 and died on the 22nd June 2004 before she joined Max at Centennial Park.
Written and researched by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.