Thomas LIPSCOMBE
Per his military service record (regimental no. 4826), Thomas Lipscombe was born at Collingwood, Victoria.[1] He gave his age as 35 years and 7 months, his marital status as single, and his occupation as labourer. His description on his Certificate of Medical Examination was [height not recorded], weight 161 lbs., with a fair complexion, brown eyes, and fair hair. His religious denomination was Church of England. He claimed that he had no previous military service.
His ‘Joined on’ date on his Attestation Paper of Persons Enlisted for Service Abroad form was 9th November 1915 (the day the Coo-ees marched from Springwood to Penrith). The Oath to the taken by person being enlisted section on his Attestation Paper was dated from 9th November 1915. His Statement of Service in his service record is also dated from 9th November 1915, so it appears he may have joined the Coo-ee March on this day.
He completed his medical examination at Ashfield on 11th November 1915, and was attested at Ashfield by Lieutenant F. Middenway on the 11th November 1915 (the day the Coo-ees marched from Parramatta to Ashfield).
After completing the Coo-ee March he went to Liverpool Camp as reinforcement for the 13th Battalion.
On 6th January 1916 Private Lipscombe was charged with being absent without leave from the Liverpool Camp from 9th December 1915 to 3rd January 1916. He was fined.
On 5th February 1916 Private Lipscombe was charged with being absent without leave from the Liverpool Camp for 5 days. He was fined 25 shillings.
The Dubbo Dispatch and Wellington Independent reported on 3rd March 1916 that ‘’Private T. Lipscombe has been in town the past few days taking farewell of his friends prior to preceeding to the front, whither he expects to sail next week’.[2]
On his embarkation roll his address at time of enrolment was his address was Australian Hotel, Dubbo.[3] His next of kin was listed as friend, ‘P. J. Kennay’, Australian Hotel, Dubbo, N.S.W. [This was probably P.J. Kennedy, licencee of the Austalian Hotel, Dubbo].[4]
Troopship HMAT A15 Star of England. Australian War Memorial Collection AWM H17014.
On 8th March 1916 Private Lipscombe departed Sydney on the HMAT A15 Star of England along with many of the other Coo-ees. He arrived in Egypt on the 11th April 1916.
On 16th April 1916 Private Lipscombe was transferred to the 4th Division Artillery at Tel-el-Kebir, Egypt.
On 22nd May 1916 he was transferred to the 110th Battery.
On 1st June 1916 he was designated a Driver, and transferred to the 10th Field Artillery Brigade.
On 5th June 1916 Driver Lipscombe left Alexandria aboard the HMT Oriana bound for France. He arrived at Marseilles on 13th June 1916.
On 22nd January 1918 Driver Lipscombe went on leave to Paris. He returned to the 10th Field Artillery Brigade on the 3rd of February 1918.
However, he had overstayed his leave, and had been due back on the 30th of January 1918. He was arrested and held in detention. Driver Lipscombe was found guilty of being absent without leave at a Court Martial held on 3th February 1918. He was awarded 28 days Field Punishment No. 2 and fined 42 days pay.
On 18th August 1918 Driver Lipscombe was granted leave to England. He returned to the 10th Field Artillery Brigade in France on 9th September 1918.
On 3rd December 1918 Driver Lipscombe departed France, bound for England to commence his return to Australia. He arrived at Folkestone, England, later that day.
On 9th January 1919 Driver Lipscombe was charged with being absent without leave from 2359 on 7th January 1919 till 2120 on 8th January 1919. He was fined 1 days pay.
Driver Lipscombe departed Liverpool, England on 19th February 1919 for return to Australia aboard the H.T. Orca.
He arrived in Sydney on 3rd April 1919.
He was discharged medically unfit on 18th July 1919.
[1] NAA: B2455, LIPSCOMBE THOMAS
[2] Our Soldiers. (1916, March 3). Dubbo Dispatch and Wellington Independent (NSW : 1887 – 1932), p. 1. Retrieved April 7, 2018, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article228634920
[3] Australia War Memorial. First World War Embarkation Rolls, Thomas Lipscombe, HMAT Star of England A15, 8th March 1916.
[4] AUSTRALIAN HOTEL. (1917, December 4). Dubbo Dispatch and Wellington Independent (NSW : 1887 – 1932), p. 1. Retrieved April 7, 2018, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article228195676
1915 Coo-ee March 