Contributed by Ron Inglis, October 2021
Dairyman Thomas Speak '24 6/12’' born in Blackburn, United Kingdom, enlisted in October 1916 at the 'Showground Camp, Sydney'. He nominated his parents, who lived in Lancashire, UK, as his next-of-kin.
Speak embarked for overseas service on the Suevic 21 days after enlistment. This was unusual as most enlistees spent at least four months training in Australia before embarking for overseas service. Usually it was only those with extensive previous military service who embarked shortly after enlistment. Private Speak had not declared any previous military service.
Speak arrived in Devonport, UK, on 30 January 1917 but with hospital spells, training sessions, transfer to the machine gun corps, and an offence of going AWL for five days, he did not cross to France and arrive at the Front until October 1917.
Speak survived over the very cold winter of 1917/1918, when there were only minor engagements, but he was wounded on 30 March 1918 facing the German 'last gasp' offensive. He was taken to the military hospital at the Australian base at Étaples on the coast of France, but died there on 1 April 1918.
Speak was buried in the Étaples Military Cemetery. This was the same cemetery in which former Auburn Mayor William James Johnson was laid to rest two years earlier. The Étaples Military Cemetery is the largest Commonwealth War Cemetery in France with 11,553 burials including 464 Australians. For his gravestone, his parents chose the inscription: UNTIL THE DAY DAWNS AND THE SHADOWS FLEE AWAY MOTHER, SISTER
The medals of Private Speak were issued by Australia House in London to Speak's parents who lived in Lancashire. It seems likely it was Speak's friend, Miss Jeanie Dearie of 22 St Hilliers Road, Auburn, who put his name forward for the Auburn War Memorial.
Thomas Speak is honoured on the following memorials in Australia:
- Auburn War Memorial
- Municipality of Auburn 1914-1919 Honour Roll
- Roll of Honour Australian War Memorial Canberra
His decorations:
- Victory Medal
- British War Medal 1914-20
