ADDISON, Thomas and Archibald

Thomas and Archibald were the sons of Thomas and Emma Addison who lived in Greaves Street Inverell. Thomas married Martha Palmer in 1909 and had four children when, at the age of twenty nine, he applied to enlist at Tamworth in December 1915.  He was accepted at Armidale on 4 January 1916 where he became a member of the newly formed 33rd Battalion, B Company. 

Thomas left Australia with his Battalion on HMAT A74 Marathon in May 1916, and arrived in England in July.  Additional training was undertaken at Salisbury Plain before the Battalion was sent to France in November. Thomas was gassed twice; the first time during the battle of Messines in June 1917, the second occasion in April 1918.  After this he was invalided to Hospital in England and later attached to the Australian Provost Corps at Tidsworth.  He returned to Australia in 1919 and was medically discharged in January 1920.

Archibald’s birth was registered at Inverell in 1898.  He was a keen Rugby Union player and worked as a Mercer at A.M. Cansdell & Co. General Store at Inverell. He had served six years with the Cadets before volunteering for War service at a large recruiting rally held at Inverell Town Hall in August 1915. He joined the 30th Battalion, A Company and left Australia on HMAT A72 Beltana in November. 

He arrived at Suez, Egypt in December where his Battalion was stationed until sent to France in June 1916. Archibald was gassed twice, firstly in 1917 and then in April 1918 when he was invalided back to England for treatment.  After returning to France, he was wounded a third time in August 1918 and again invalided back to England. Following this he was awarded the Military Medal for ‘Conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during operations near Bray.’ (Commonwealth Gazette No 109, 15 September 1919)

He returned home in 1919 and was medically discharged in January 1920.  The following year he married Edith Dasey at Inverell.  Archibald’s name is inscribed on the Inverell Honor Roll and on the Methodist Church Honor Roll.

Another brother, John, aged 24, tried to enlist on several occasions during 1915 and 1916.  He was rejected due to his chest measurement being 'below standard'.