SAPPER CHRISTOPHER THOMAS MARTIN
[AKA Thomas Christopher Gibson]
7368 – 3rd Tunnelling Company
Born at 10 Southwell Street, Harpurkey, Manchester, England on 5 March 1884, Thomas Christopher Gibson was the son of John and Elizabeth (nee Martin) Gibson.
The 1891 England Census records those living at Tinsley House, Tinsley:
John Gibson, Head41Builder & contractor
Elizabeth Gibson, wife42
Ambrose W. Gibson, son21Bricklayer
Jane Ann Gibson, daughter18
John Gibson, son16apprentice bricklayer
Florence Gibson, daughter14
Ernest Gibson, son12scholar
James Edwin Gibson, son10scholar
Alfred Gibson, son8scholar
Thomas Christopher Gibson, son6scholar
Harold Gibson, son5scholar
Mabel Gibson, daughter3
Wilfred Gibson, son10 months
George Suter20boarder & labourer
Ada Stretton20servant
John Gibson died in 1906 and his widow Elizabeth married William Bridgett in 1913. In 1922 she married Peter MacIntyre.
Mabel Gibson emigrated at age 23, leaving London on 28 October 1910 on board the Queensland Line ship Perthshire, bound for Brisbane, Australia. She travelled as a 3rd Class passenger, listing her occupation as Domestic Servant.
Thomas Christopher Gibson underwent a medical examination on 6 December 1915 which found him to be unfit for active service due to his teeth. It was noted that he was of good physique and had a good fitting double plate. He was referred to a Medical Board which confirmed the Medical Officers finding.
A second Medical Board on 7 December passed him as fit.
He signed the ‘Attestation Paper of Persons Enlisted for Service Abroad’, and the Oath to ‘well and truly serve’, on 7 December 1915. A medical examination the same day at Melbourne found him to be fit for active service and recorded that he was 27 years and 9 months of age; that he was 5ft 6½ins tall and weighed 124½ lbs. He had a dark complexion, brown eyes and dark brown hair. He was of the Church of England faith. Several scars were recorded as distinguishing marks. He gave as his address 26 Evelyne Street, East Melbourne, Victoria.
A Bricklayer by trade, he had completed 4 years of an apprenticeship with John Gibson in Manchester. He stated that his father was deceased and named as his next-of-Kin his mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Bridgett of 81 Mt. Pleasant Road, Highfields, Sheffield, England.
No further entries are recorded and a Regimental or Service number was not issued against this enlistment.
The 1917 Electoral Roll records Thomas Christopher Gibson, Bricklayer, living at 18 Glasgow Street, Collingwood.
On 24 April 1917, assuming the name Christopher Thomas Martin, he again signed the Attestation Paper and the Oath, this time at Port Pirie, South Australia.
He stated that he was born in Manchester, was 28 years and 1 month of age, a Bricklayer by trade and named as his Next-of-Kin his mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Gibson of 18 Glasgow Street, Collingwood, Victoria.
The medical examination at Port Pirie recorded that he was 5ft 7½ins tall and weighed 140 lbs. He had a dark complexion, brown eyes and black hair. He claimed Roman Catholic to be his faith.
Training began at ‘B’ Company, Mitcham, South Australia on 30 April. On 1 May 1917 at the Mitcham he signed the statement:
“I, Christopher Thomas Martin do solemnly and sincerely declare that I have not seen or lived with my wife, or in any way contributed to her support for the last nine (9) years.”
He recorded that his will was lodged with his mother, Mrs. Bridgett, at 14 Horner’s Road Highfields, Abbeydale, Sheffield.
On 16 May he was transferred to the Tunnellers reinforcements. On 31 May he was transferred to the Miners Reinforcements as a Sapper at their Seymour Camp in Victoria.
On 16 July 1917 he was appointed to the Tunnelling Companies and embarked at Melbourne on board Themistocles with the March Reinforcements Tunnelling Company.
The troopship HMAT A32 Themistocles, with 167 Tunneller Reinforcements, sailed from Melbourne, Victoria on August 4, 1917. The voyage across the Pacific was rough and stormy for several days causing sea sickness on board. As the ship reached the Tropics it became very hot. Colon, Panama was reached on August 31, 1917 and during an unavoidable eight-day delay very heavy rain and muggy conditions was endured. The transport docked at Halifax, Nova Scotia on September 18, 1917 and three days later left to experience good weather across the Atlantic arriving in Glasgow, Scotland on October 2, 1917 after a fifty-nine day voyage. The troops were entrained to Tidworth, England
One of the Tunnellers, 7427 Spr William James McPeak, died of acute transverse myalitis on 14 August and was buried at sea. He was one of 4 soldiers to die on this voyage.
Christopher marched in to Nos.1 & 3 Details Camp, Parkhouse, on 3 October 1917. He proceeded overseas to France on 14 November and marched in to the Australian General Base Depot (AGBD), Rouelles on 15 November. On 19 November he marched out to join the 1st Anzac Entrenching Battalion.
Christopher reported sick on 30 November and was admitted to the 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station. On 1 December he was evacuated to the 8th Australian Field Ambulance and the same day he was transferred to the 5th D.R.S.
He was transferred by Ambulance Train to the 53rd General Hospital at Boulogne where he was admitted on 7 December. On 10 December he was discharged to Base Depot and marched in to the AGBD at Havre on 13 December.
On 23 December he was evacuated to England for Permanent Base duties and marched in to No.2 Command Depot at Weymouth on 24 December.
On 2 January 1918 he was admitted to the 1st Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield. He was discharged to furlough on 12 February, too report to No.1 Command Depot, Sutton Veny on 26 February. He was 4 hours and 15 minutes late reporting and was Admonished for this indiscretion.
On 2 March he reported sick and was admitted the Military Hospital at Sutton Veny, where a Medical Board held on 11 March recorded:
“States that he was quite well up to Oct. 1917; since then has been suffering from shortness of breath, pain in heart and vertigo. Has had Rheumatic fever four times, in 1898 being first attack.”
The causation of his disability was recorded as:
“Aggravated by service during present war. Exposure and hard work on active service France 1917.”
and
“Not constitutional – not heredity.”
The recommendation was:
“Revision of category as he is unlikely to be fit in six months.”
His degree of disablement for pension purposes was assessed at 40%.
On 21 March a Medical Board at the Medical Office No.4 Group, No.2 Australian Command Depot, assessed him as ‘permanently unfit all services’.
He was discharged from hospital on 16 March and marched in to No.2 Command Depot, Weymouth.
Christopher left London on 12 May 1918 on board Rauhine for return to Australia. Disembarking at Sydney on 5 July and then travelled to South Australia where he was discharged from the A.I.F. on 18 August 1918, entitled to wear the British War Medal and the Victoria Medal.
On 22 July 1918 he was admitted to No.11 Australian General Hospital and history recorded was:
“Oct.1917. States he was quite well up till this date. Since then dyspnoea, precordial pain and vertigo. Rheum. Fever 4 times, first 1898.
12-3-18Markedly anaemic. P. 96. Heart: A.B. 5th sp. In N.L. double mitral bruit at apex conducted outwards.”
His incapacity was assessed at 50 %.
The 1919 Electoral Roll records Thomas Christopher Gibson, Bricklayer, living at 18 Glasgow Street, Collingwood.
Christopher Thomas Martin died on 1 January 1921 at No.11 Australian General Hospital of chronic endocarditis and ulcerative endocarditis and toxaemia.
His file was marked ‘stated to be Thomas Christopher Gibson – vide w.s.w (Vic) List’.
The address of his Next-of-Kin was altered to Mrs. Elizabeth Bridgett, 14 Horners Road, Highfield, Abbeydale, Sheffield.
His Victory Medal was inscribed and issued by Australia House, London. In January 1929, his British War Medal was issued to his mother at Australia House who signed for the medal as E. MacIntyre.
He is commemorated at the Victorian Garden of Remembrance, Springvale War Cemetery, Victoria, at Wall13;RowE., with a plaque which reads:
© Donna Baldey 2015
with the assistance of Carl Gibson, great nephew of Thomas Christopher Gibson.
Photos of Thomas courtesy Carl Gibson.
Addendum
Mabel Gibson married Joseph William Hughes in Melbourne on 28 April 1913.
In 1913 the couple lived at 129 Fitzroy Street, Fitzroy. In 1914 they moved to 35 Marion Street, Fitzroy.
In 1917 Joseph and Mabel were living at 18 Glasgow Street, Collingwood, the address used by Thomas when he enlisted the second time.
Mabel married Herbert Bernard Biggs in 1925.