STANLEY
Thomas Brooke Stanley was born at Stocksbridge, in Sheffield, England on 12 May 1892 as the first and only child of Arthur and Clara Stanley (nee Brooke). Sadly his mother died within days of his birth — in England he was always referred to as Brooke, in memory of his mother. Prior to migrating to Australia, Brooke worked in an engineering firm and later a solicitor's office in Elland, and also worked on his grandfather's farms. At this time he also founded the Stocksbridge Scouts.
Following his 21st birthday in 1913, Brooke migrated to Western Australia, arriving in Fremantle on 3 July 1913. In Australia he became known as Tom. He first worked as a farm hand at Jitarning near Wickepin, then for the Piesse family at Kobeelya in Katanning. When War was declared in 1914 Tom set off to enlist, but was turned down in Katanning by a recruiting officer who happened to know his employer. Tom was not prepared to give in and caught the train to Perth where he was enlisted at Blackboy Hill.
Knowing signalling (Morse and Semaphore), Tom became a Regimental Signaller for the 10th Light Horse Regiment. He departed from Albany for Egypt on 24 April 1915 — the day before his mates first landed at Gallipoli.
Tom Stanley first landed on Anzac Beach, Gallipoli on 18 July 1915. Between his first landing and the final evacuation, Tom was carried off that beach three times — injured or seriously ill — but each time he returned and was part of the final evacuation in December 1915.
Tom's service on the peninsula was noted with two Special Mentions in Despatches for gallant and distinguished services in the field, and a Distinguished Conduct Medal. In the Battle of Hill 60 (Kaiajik Aghala) on 29/30 August 1915, Tom was a member of a party which held an important point for 37 hours during almost incessant hand-to-hand fighting. He displayed great coolness and bravery, and when finally a withdrawal was necessary he was the last to leave the trench. He was awarded the DCM alongside others including Hugo Throssell who was awarded the Victoria Cross.
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty on the 29th and 30th of August 1915, at Kaiajik Aghala (Hill 60 Dardanelles), when he was one of a party which held an important point in a trench for thirty seven hours consecutively, during which period there was almost incessant hand-to-hand fighting. He displayed great coolness and bravery, and when finally a withdrawal was necessary he was the last to leave the trench.
Suffering from severe bomb shock, Tom was evacuated unconscious from Gallipoli. He had been reported missing, believed killed — and is listed as Killed in Action on the Katanning War Memorial. His relieved loved ones received a note written on the back of a cheroot box, dated after the date he went missing, which the family still have today:
Sept 8 1915 — Dear Aunt Jennet and all, Suffering from shock and debility result of last charge. Not hurt and not real bad. Guess I must be as thin as you are but I 'mafished' [finished] 4 poor Turks and never used the steel. Winning slow but sure. Weather getting cooler. Best love, Brooke.
Following the Evacuation from Gallipoli, Tom served with the Australian Stores Depot on Ghezireh in Cairo. As part of his duties he cared for the Shellal Tiles — ancient mosaic tiles recovered from Gaza by the 10th Light Horse Regiment. He arranged for a mosaic expert to carry out restorative work and was authorised to pack the tiles and have them transported to Australia, where they remain in safekeeping at the Australian War Memorial.
Tom embarked at Port Said on 12 December 1919 and was discharged from the army on 12 April 1920, taking up a virgin bush property in Wellesley Road Brunswick Junction. In Perth on 17 November 1921 he married Alice May Hicks from Loftus in Yorkshire, having met her in Egypt during the war. Together they had three children and developed an outstanding dairy farm.
Life was full of challenges, including the loss of their 18-month-old daughter Diana who drowned in 1930. Tom never fully recovered his health after the war. By 1939 he was unable to undertake any further physical labour — the physical work of the farm was undertaken by his wife Alice and 13-year-old son Bernard. Tom maintained an active community role as a member of the RSL for more than 50 years, a strong advocate for ex-servicemen, an executive member of the Farmer's Union, and a Lay Preacher for St Peter's Anglican Church in Brunswick Junction. He also founded Scouts in Brunswick Junction. Later in life Tom studied Braille, receiving a Certificate of Proficiency from the National Institute for the Blind, and translated books to facilitate study for the blind.
Tom passed away in Harvey Hospital on 20 October 1969, aged 77, and was buried in the Bunbury Cemetery (Anglican B278).
Perhaps Tom's greatest legacy stemmed from the writing and record-keeping skills first gleaned working in the solicitor's office in England. Tom dedicated much of his life to record-keeping and the records he created are now valuable resources in the State and National Libraries. His son Bernard published a history of the Brunswick community, When Blue Was True, using Tom's historic records.
Margaret Paterson (Granddaughter), 14 October 2012
