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Born in Surrey, England, Thomas’ father, after whom Tom was named, enlisted to serve in WWI on the 12th August 1915 as number 4289. He was officially 45 7/12 years old, and an A/Corporal serving with D Company 2nd Battalion, 13/10 Infantry. His record suggests he was the mailman at Roseworthy Agricultural College. On transferring to the 50th Battalion in February ’16, he reverted to being a Private, but the following month was promoted to Sergeant. Unfortunately, once in France he was hospitalised in Marseilles with rheumatism. He was therefore serving overseas when his son, Thomas Victor, was born to Lenore Maud at Naracoorte on the 25th August 1916 and named in his honour. It was some time before Thomas Snr left Plymouth in April ’17 to return to Australia to eventually be discharged in July ’17 and notated as being permanently unfit for either general or home service and consequently granted a pension. Lenore and Thomas welcomed a second son, Alfred Charles in July 1919.
The day after Thomas Jnr’s 19th birthday his 68-year-old father died on the 26th August ’35 at his Mile End home. Younger brother Alfred had just turned 16. A tribute to Thomas Snr’s war service is now in the West Terrace Cemetery.
Tom proved to be a talented footballer, playing for Parilla Well at Pinnaroo in the Murray Mallee region. 1938 was a pivotal year with the club taking out the Premiership against United in a particularly close fought encounter. The local Pinnaroo and Border Times reported that ‘Well owe their success to one factor—their brilliant kicking. Parilla Well deserved the game, principally for their brilliant football and all-round play in the third term. For a team to score 8—2 in any one term against such a good combination as the black and whites is an outstanding feat.’ The reporter added ‘T. Trish played a very reliable game and was not far short of brilliant at times. He handled the ball very cleanly and made good use of it.’ High praise indeed for such a pressured game. This quality of performance was not unusual for Tom as in other games he was also praised for being ‘a player of good ability, and plays a good style of game, kicking the ball as quickly as possible‘ and also for being a ‘speedy attacker who brought up the points.’ Not unexpectedly, he was regularly named in the best player list as was Beau Jones who was later to enlist with Tom.
With the outbreak of WWII, on the 29th June ’40, 23-year-old Tom decided to follow in his father’s footsteps and enlist to also serve. This was a pivotal date as several others from the area enlisted together. They included 22-year-old Beau Jones SX6856, 21-year-old Clarrie Baldwin SX7108 and 22-year-old Clem Billing SX6829. Tom was allocated the number SX6894. All these young men were assigned to the newly formed 2/48th Battalion. (Tom’s younger brother, Alfred later enlisted in July ’42 as SX20450). Tom’s first days were spent in the cold of the Pavilions, now part of the Royal Adelaide Showgrounds before the battalion headed to Woodside in the Adelaide Hills for preliminary training.
Following pre-embarkation leave, the four friends and their 2/48th Battalion then embarked on the Stratheden for the Middle East, on the 7th November 1940, arriving on the 19th December 1940 where the Battalion completed a few months training in Cyrenaica. During those early days, the battalion settled into camps, but besides regular army duties was the need to quickly adapt to the locals. The new soldiers were soon involved in intense conflicts where the reputation of the 2/48th Battalion for being the most highly decorated but decimated battalion was earned.
Soon after arriving in the Middle East, Beau Jones immediately wrote home with his letter published in the local Pinnaroo and Border Times in June ‘41 describing the totally foreign conditions to home. He stated “that at last he was in Palestine and was at home in that strange land. The climate, he said was similar to Alice Springs, hot all day, and cool at night. He was experiencing a great time, hard training, pictures every night, and a wet canteen which was noted for its cheapness.” A further letter in November to the Pinnaroo Girls’ Club, Beau told more of the reality of war. “Clarrie Baldwin, Tom Trish and myself visited the cemetery and put in the day making Eddie’s (Thiel) and Rex’s (Neindorf) grave, it being our last opportunity. We worked hard and managed to complete them and take a snap of each which we will send to their parents in Australia. We were very disappointed in not being able to do Barry Withers’ grave, but time was against us. It is hard to realize they are gone, but they have done their share like men. Some people do not realise what war is and what it does to a man. Perhaps some day soon we will be able to thank the girls for all they have done for us, and during a dance we may tell a few skites about Tobruk. Maybe you won’t believe them, but perhaps you will have the grace to look interested. Clem and myself send kind regards to all.”
Those serving gravitated to the men they had known from back home and sent snippets back to family. Whilst none admitted being homesick, their thoughts were still of home. Private Roy Winter SX11828, also of the 2/48th wrote “The last two days have been dusty and somehow I could not dream of Pinnaroo; it had to be Adelaide or the South East where dust is rare; I hope you feel as we do, for in spite of casualties among Pinnaroo chaps, we still carry on full of faith in ourselves, and confident of the future. I am proud of my unit and proud of the AIF. The AIF stands on its own! —even Jerry admits that—and, though we curse it at times, when we are alone, we are proud of it and its deeds. I saw Clem Billing, Tom Trish, Norm Badman and Beau Jones about an hour ago and they are all looking well. Beau has lost some of his condition and is now in good fighting nick, and, like all of us, is feeling fit. My best wishes to everyone in Parilla Well, (By the way Clem also received a cake).”
Letters from home were so precious to the soldiers as the news was a welcome break from the horrors of warfare. Beau wrote again in February ‘42 “I have not received a letter for over a fortnight, I suppose the Japs are delaying the regular mails. I am proud that another Jones has done his duty, but Clarrie has a lot of hard training before him yet. Clem (Billing) is as grand as ever, and also Tom Trish. I have been transferred to headquarters and spend less time with them. However, I go to the pictures each night with both of the boys. We held a donkey race meeting and it, was quite a fair event. I also met Jack Gregor’ there. He is doing fine but is complaining about lack of mail like the rest of us.”
Tom was subjected to fierce fighting and the loss or injury of many fellow soldiers. Mark Johnston, in the meticulously documented diaries ‘Derrick VC In His Own Words’ Derrick lists the men left in his platoon with Tom being one of just 12 survivors on the 24th June ’42. In a further entry on July 15th ’42 Derrick wrote “The section remained on alert and nearing daybreak we found ourselves once more surrounded by Jerries, who did not know of our position or our presence, either.” The Germans “Pulled up about 120 yards away & began shouting to the wounded at Cpl Badman’s post, it was still pretty dark & only blurs could be seen, we held fire & were awaiting day break which wasn’t far off when the 3 vehicles made to move off, we gave then the lot, and pulled all 3 up, Tom Trish on the bren doing a nice job of shooting.”
In a further entry on the 20th July ’42 Derrick wrote “Same place, same enemy, same shell at same time but still just not in the right spot and all ranks are in the best & as happy as larry. I had to take out a recce patrol at 0030 hrs till 0430, Ptes McLaren, Edwards VJ & Trish making up the party.”
By August ’42 Tom had also written ‘from somewhere in Syria’ asking to be remembered to all Pinnaroo friends. He added “I am in the ‘pink’ and have just had two days' leave at Beirut which I enjoyed. Beau (Jones) and Clem (Billing) are OK. We were disappointed we were not sent home but have got over it now. L am thinking of taking on transport driving. I had about a month’s skiing at a place about 8,000 feet above sea level. Snow blindness put me out of action for about a week, but I like the sport very much. I have just received a cake which several of my pals shared. It is quite a change from army fare.”
Corporal Trish was again mentioned in being on patrol with Derrick on the 3rd October ’42 where there were “Dark skies again at 1400 & light rain fell. Posn in good condition. Taking a patrol out at 1930 til )300. Cpl Trish, Pte Bertram, Edwards, Pearce, Ball & Starkey. 4 TSMGs 1 Bren & 2 rifles 6 36 grens.”
In the fierce battle for Trig 29 in October ’42 John Glenn in Tobruk to Tarakan reported that ‘The men had fought with determination in hard and bitter hand-to-hand fighting, always endeavouring to go forward and all the time taking a heavy toll of the enemy, only to reach the final objective with a strength so reduced as to make further progress impossible. A small band of forty-one men, some of whom were wounded, was all that remained.’ Johnny Ralla’s diary is quoted, telling of the wounding of Hal Laughton, Captain Shillaker and death of Lieutenant B.Y. Hamilton, with Diver Derrick taking over command ‘and the advance continued until we were forced to ground near the objective.’ Frank McMullin was hit but ‘Tommy Trish seemed to have his finger glued to the trigger of his Bren as we joined in. Five Jerries loomed up out of the dark and we shot them.’
Tom and the 2/48th were about to face one of the most horrific periods of fighting with the intense battle for Trig 29 in October and November ‘42. Tom was wounded at some stage during this encounter with the Advertiser carrying the news on the 17th November ’42. ‘Cpl. T. V. Trish, eldest son of Mrs, L. M. and the late Mr. T. Trish, of Hughes street. Mile End, has been wounded in action in Egypt. Cpl. Trish enlisted in June, 1940, and sailed for overseas in November of the same year. He served in Tobruk. Syria and Egypt He is 26 years of age.’
He had been severely wounded in action on the 31st October ‘42 in the fierce fighting to take Trig 29. At the end of the night the 2/48th Battalion had just 41 men still standing. John Glenn in Tobruk to Tarakan described how ‘Back on Tel el Eisa, the 2/48th watched and waited. Early that morning a stunned silence had greeted the first roll call of the decimated companies, and men had cursed the rottenness of bloody war. In their eyes, as they now gazed westward from Tel el Eisa to the clouds of dust and smoke and the exploding shells bursting on the positions they had vacated the night before, there was an indescribable something. They were the unsmiling eyes of men who have killed or tried to kill and have faced death in its most vicious form.’ Theirs was the pride and sorrow of men who have endured too much. When all else was forgotten, they would remember Alamein and their mates who died there.’ Tom was a fortunate one who had survived.
John Glenn best summarises the soldiers’ efforts. ‘Truly it can be said of these men, “They fought themselves and their enemy to a standstill until flesh and blood could stand no more, then they went on fighting.” ‘The next day was sufficiently quiet to allow burial parties to move out to Ring Contour 25 in search of missing men. Many that had been reported missing were found among our dead and were buried.’ ‘Towards evening eighteen shells fell in C Company area from one of the enemy’s last salvoes before going into full retreat. The unexpectedness of this shell fire caught a number of men unprepared, giving our last casualties in the Western Desert, or for that matter, in the Middle East.
By March ’43 the Pinnaroo Cheer Society, Returned Soldiers’ League and Pinnaroo Girls’ Club honoured soldiers home on leave. Those who enlisted with Tom were Ptes H. B. and W. C. Wall, C. Baldwin, L. Charles, H, Jones, C. Jones, P. Gordon, Cpls. H. Darke, C. Billing and R. Darke, L/Sgt. N. Badman, Ptes A. Badman, G. O’Loughlin, T, Trish and R. Wilson. It afforded residents great pleasure to honour these boys and to extend hearty wishes.
An added highlight for Tom was the immediate announcement of his engagement to Joyce Irene Batt on the 18th March ‘the only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. B. Batt of Hilton, to Thomas, the eldest son ot Mrs. L. M. Trish and the late Mr. Trish, of Mile End.’
The following year, Tom married Joyce at St Oswald’s, Parkside at 7.00pm on April 1st ’44 before again returning to his battalion. He was soon mentioned again in the July edition of the Pinnaroo and Border Times with a light-hearted letter from Sergeant Norm Badman who had just returned to the 2/48th and proudly reported on his battalion’s sporting achievements, particularly in the Sunday football, with matches. The Battalion had an A and B team, which had played three matches, losing two and winning one. He reported that “The B grade team is not too strong at present, but I think they will improve during the next few weeks. Tommy Trish, formerly of Pinnaroo, occasionally plays with the B team. So far, the Battalion have not played any cricket but we will be playing in the future. All cricket will be played on Saturday afternoon as far as I know to prevent it clashing with the football.’
Particularly unwelcome news arrived in May ’45 in the Advertiser. ‘Mrs. T. V. Trish. of Attrill avenue Hilton, has been notified that her husband L-Sgt. T. V. Trish. was seriously wounded on May 6, with the 9th Division in the Borneo campaign. He is the eldest son of Mrs. L. M. Trish and the late Mr. Trish of Mile End.’ The Chronicle reported ‘Seriously Wounded. — SX6894 L-Sgt. T. V. Trish Inf. Mile End.’ Fortunately, the following month he was listed as ‘Removed From All Lists’. The Pinnaroo paper added more detail that ‘Sgt. Tom Trish, who was wounded at Tarakan on May 6, is now making good progress. In a letter to his relatives at Pinnaroo, Mr. and Mrs. G. Blacksell, Tom states that he was wounded in both legs, one of which was broken. He is in hospital waiting for the plaster to be removed and to get back on to his feet again. Prior to his enlistment, Sgt. Tom Trish spent several years in the Parilla Well district, and is well-known to residents. Friends wish him a speedy recovery.’
In one way, Tom was fortunate to escape with his life. On the night of the 6th six of Tom’s fellow soldiers were killed and he was one of 26 wounded. John Glenn described the terrain over which they were fighting. ‘The ground fell sharply away, allowing no deployment whatever, our troops were left no alternative but to attack the feature up a precipitous and slippery ridge-face to a false crest eighty yards or so from the summit. From the intensity of the Japanese fire, it was obvious that the enemy was well dug in, and that they occupied positions of considerable strength. The crest, flanks and reverse slopes were all manned, bringing heavy fire to bear.’
Tom was on the train carrying the forty-four wounded men back to South Australia. The News of June ’45 carried an extensive item including interviews with Tom and several other soldiers. ‘Wounded South Australians who arrived home from the islands were given a most enthusiastic welcome by relatives at Adelaide Railway Station today. The excitement began when the express pulled in under the Morphett Street Bridge, and the heads of several waving diggers could be seen protruding from the windows of the hospital car. Then there was a rush as the train pulled up as relatives made for the windows to find their men. The men themselves, despite copious bandages and slings and foot scaffolding, were uniformly cheerful and patently glad to be back home. Then there were repeated all the war-long scenes as relatives gathered close to say all the things they had been storing up so long and couldn't think where to begin, and those who were too happy to say anything at all. The conversations continued as stretcher bearers unshipped the wounded and carefully carried them to waiting ambulances in the station yard, where farewells were said until the time when they could be visited in hospital or, better still, welcomed home on leave.’
"DIRTY FIGHTER" The men back from Tarakan described the Jap as a dirty fighter. Corporal J. K. Walsh, of Spalding, described how he received a bullet wound in an arm and shrapnel wounds in the back, a leg, and chest. He received the bullet wound from a sniper during a counter-attack. While crawling back with a party of other Australians, they were attacked by a Jap carrying a 75-mm. shell. The Jap rushed into the group of Australians and threw the shell at them, killing three and wounding five. He escaped himself. Corporal Walsh said today it was the only instance he had heard of a Jap successfully attacking in this way. Many had attempted it, but most of them had been killed. The fact that the attack took place at night had helped it to be successful. Sergeant T. V. Trish of Hilton, who was a veteran of Tobruk and El Alamein, said that the German was a gentleman compared with the Jap.’
‘Other reports included Mention of the barrage which preceded the Tarakan landing brought a reminiscent smile to the faces of a number of men. Private Roy Rayson of Andrews near Clare, said it was a wonderful barrage, so good that they did not sustain a single casualty in the first wave, of which he was a member. There were lots of rockets fired, 200 at a time from landing ships. ACCURATE BOMBING Corporal Ted Bain, of Port Lincoln, said there was so much dust and smoke about that they could not see the island as they went in. The Air Force gave them great support, bombing right on the targets. Corporal Bain said that once ashore they had to fight for every inch of ground as the Japs were well entrenched on a series of razor-backs. They used a lot of booby traps and 75-mm. shells as grenades.’
Tom was finally discharged in April ’46. He shared a few precious months with his 56-year-old mother, Lenore until her death in January ’47. By December ’49 Joyce and Tom welcomed the first of their two children, Steven Thomas. Julia arrived in the ensuing years. Aged 61, Tom died on the 1st October ’77 and was interred at Centennial Park in the North West Rose bed NW 34, Position 60. Joyce lived to be 71 and died on the 3rd February ’93. She now rests with Tom.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion