Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Thomas, later known as Harry, was born in Port Pirie on the 1st September 1910. He was employed as a cellar hand in the Riverland area where he lived with his wife Violet Jean Freak, with the two marrying in 1931. They later had three children, Bill, Don and Donnie.
However, with the outbreak of WWII, 29-year-old Harry enlisted on the 18th June 1940 and was given the number SX7614, immediately being placed in the newly formed 2/48th Battalion. Intensive training then ensued at Woodside in the Adelaide Hills.
While Harry and other new enlistees were on pre-embarkation leave in October, a huge crown gathered at the Berri Theatre with a social in their honour. This was also combined with a farewell for a highly respected local identity, Mrs. P. H. Knappstein, who had been a leading supporter in organising socials for soldiers. A roll call of the ‘Young Diggers’ were made (25 in all, but with five unable to be present.) These included twelve who were also from Harry’s 2/48th Battalion. They included SX9384 Private Arville Todd, (later died of wounds), SX7278 Robert Tipper, SX8063 John Hood (later died of wounds), SX7964 Tom (Diver) Derrick (later died of wounds), SX9562 Charles Butcher, SX7067 Peter Anderson, SX5218 Albert Smith, SX6832 Walter Fennell, SX8411 A.R. Rix, SX7242 Paul Pfeiffer, SX7773 Samuel Parbs and Harry.
As part of the patriotic farewell, mention was made of the possible spirit of adventure that might have played some part in the enlistment of the boys, but deep down in their heart there was the love of their country. The local citizens of Berri were proud to do honour to their lads with them that evening. It was the largest muster of men the community had honoured at one Many of the men were members of the Berri Football Club, including the captain, Jock Hood. The residents wished them all well and assured the young men they would look forward to their homecoming after a successful: victory on the other side. A presentation was then made to each of the soldiers of a money belt, a £1 note, and a pair of socks from the Comforts Fund.

In further remarks, a comment passed by the enemy referred to the "polyglot armies" of the Empire. However, all the representative of the returned A.I.F. men commented that "God help them when they met that polyglot army".
Within days, these young men then boarded the Stratheden on the 17th November, arriving in the Middle East the following month.
By October ’41 Harry’s unofficial sightseeing proved to be an expensive foray of forfeiting 22 day’s pay, plus 21 days’ field punishment. He was to face the dust, heat, flies and constant bombardment, with Lord Haw Haw deriding the troops for their living conditions ‘like rats’ and leaflets being dropped urging the men to surrender. Instead, the derisive term, Rats of Tobruk was seized as a badge of honour, with the unofficial term proudly adopted. Despite the ‘blip’ in his record, within a year Harry was promoted to Acting Corporal.
Finally, Harry’s battalion was on its way home in February ’43, via Melbourne. Violet and Private Harry took the opportunity to visit friends in their hometown of Glossop. By this stage he had been promoted to Corporal. All too soon, Harry was training in Queensland, preparing to face a very different enemy in the tropical conditions of New Guinea. Part of his training involved attending a Malaria Control Course following which he embarked for New Guinea arriving in Milne Bay in October ’43. Despite his training, within a month Harry experienced an extremely high temperature (pyrexia of unknown origin) closely followed by malaria, both of which returned within a few months. January ’44 saw a further deterioration of his health with pains in his limbs, particularly his knees accompanying yet another bout of malaria. He returned to Brisbane in February ’44 but was still unable to escape from malaria, spending time in the Works Company until his eventual discharge on the 29th January ’45.
In July that year, a Welcome Home was held in the Bonney Theatre where about 150 residents gathered to thanks the men who were returning to civilian life. For the young families, housing had become the main priority, and this was fully supported by the local league. At the celebrations, the singing "For they are Jolly Good Fellows" and three cheers were convincing- proof of the welcome extended. For the returned men, well-aware of their depleted numbers and their experiences in combat, it was an evening of mixed emotions Added to the poignancy of the evening, ‘Diver’ Derrick’s widow, Beryl, was in attendance as were several from the
2/48th including SX7830 Corporal Kingsley Albrecht, DCM.
Post war, Harry was active in the Barmera Ex-Servicemen and Women sub-branch where he served as vice president. By 1950, the whole club had been renovated and a piano installed, a fitting tribute to the hard work of those who returned.
54-year-old Jean died on the 11th May ’62 and was interred in the Loxton Cemetery. Harry lived a further fifteen years until he was 76. He died on the 27th May 1987 and now rests alongside his wife.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.