SAPPER JOSEPH GLAZEBROOK
5538 – 1st Tunnelling Company
Joseph Glazebrook was born at Ashton under Lyne, Lancashire, England about July, 1872 the son of Isaac and Betsy (formerly Williamson) Glazebrook. He had served a four year apprenticeship as a Felt Hatter under Harden Brown, Redfern, Andershow. Martha Elizabeth Cartwright became his wife and on November 23, 1891 Joseph (26), Martha (24) and their infant son Ernest arrived in Queensland on the ship Merkara. They were living at Byrnes Parade, Mount Morgan before 1903 and he was a labourer. In 1916 he was an employee of the Mount Morgan Gold Mining Company Ltd.
At the Mount Morgan Recruiting drive Joseph applied to enlist for service abroad on March 18, 1916 where the forty-four year old passed the preliminary medical fitness examination. Details from the Application show he was still at Byrnes Parade, Mount Morgan, and stood 165cms (5ft 5ins) high and weighed 63.6kgs (140lbs) with a chest measurement of 90cms (35½ins).
On March 22, 1916 at the Central Queensland Central District Recruiting Depot in Rockhampton the medical examiner concurred on his fitness and his application was accepted by the recruiting officer the next day. Attestation forms reveal a few more details of a brown complexion with blue eyes and brown hair. His eyes tested with good vision. Religion was given Methodist and his wife Mrs Martha Glazebrook of Byrnes Parade, Mount Morgan, Qld was nominated as his next-of-kin. When all was completed he took the Oath to ‘serve his King and Country.’
The Capricornian on April 1, 1916 acknowledged the departure of the latest recruits:
Basic training commenced at the 11th Depot Battalion, Enoggera Camp, Brisbane on March 25 and finished on April 24, 1916 when he was transferred to the 19th Reinforcements 15th Battalion until May 7, 1916 for further instruction. Passing he was sent to the Mining Corps Camp on May 8 until he was transferred to Seymour, Vic for training abroad at their camp on June 29, 1916. He was assigned to the October 1916 Reinforcements with the regimental number 5538 in the rank of Sapper.
The transport HMAT A38 Ulysses with 516 Reinforcements on board departed Melbourne, Victoria on October 25, 1916 at 1.30pm. The Australian coastline disappeared from view on October 30, 1916 with the port of Durban reached at 11.30am on November 13, 1916. Windy going around the Cape arrived at Cape Town at 7am on November 19. Sierra Leone was the next port of call but their departure was delayed until December 14, 1916 as it was not safe to proceed further. Arrived at Plymouth, England on December 28, 1916 after 65 days at sea, with the troops disembarking at 1.30pm and detrained to the station at Tidworth. The following day they marched in to the Aust. Details Camp at Perham Downs for more training for the front.
On January 29, 1917 the troops proceeded to France via Folkstone and marched into the Aust. General Base Depot. After a month’s training in the wintry conditions the health of mature-aged men began to decline.
Sapper Glazebrook was detailed to the 1st Tunnelling Company but reassigned to Base Duty soon after as his physical condition deteriorated. On February 13, 1917 he was transferred to England and four days later marched in to the No 2 Command Depot at Weymouth.
By April 6, 1917 all was in order for him to be invalided back to Australia. He embarked from Devonport, Eng on the H.T. Themistocles on May 4, 1917 as medically unfit due to overage. His wife was advised of his impending return on May 28, 1917. The ship docked in Sydney, NSW (2nd Military District) on July 4, 1917 and he returned to Brisbane (1st M.D.) a few days later.
Central Queensland soldiers on the Front were in contact with Mrs H.G. Wheeler working in London co-ordinating the Central Queensland Comfort Fund and each week sent report-letters naming those men she had been in contact with during the week. These were published in the Rockhampton newspapers to give relatives reliable news of their men abroad. Her address was care of the Agent-General, Queensland Office, London.
The following is an extract from her letter home published in the Rockhampton Morning Bulletin on Tuesday July 3, 1917in which she imparts news of Sapper Glazebrook trying to send his family news he was being invalided home:
The following news was published in The Rockhampton Morning Bulletin on Tuesday July 31, 1917:
The name of J. Glazebrook was read out as he appeared on the board of seventy enlistees from the Church.
On August 17, 1917 Sapper Glazebrook received his Military Discharge due to Overage.
The Roll of Honour Board for employees of the Mount Morgan Gold Mining Company Ltd who enlisted for overseas service was publicly displayed on December 5, 1917. J. Glazebrook was an employee of the Company when he enlisted.
After his return they were living at 100 Fitzroy Street, Rockhampton, Qld working as a labourer.
His service overseas was recognised as Sapper 5538 Joseph Glazebrook, 1st Tunnelling Company received the British War Medal (24203) and the Victory Medal (23402).
From the 1920’s and until his death their residential address was Railway Yards, off Murray Street, Rockhampton, Qld with the occupation as a labourer.
A Statement of his Service was sent to the Repatriation Department in Brisbane, Qld on January 9, 1936.
Joseph Glazebrook died on September 19, 1953 aged 87 years. In The Rockhampton Morning Bulletin on Monday September 21, 1953 the following family were respectfully invited to attend:
His family monument can be located in the North Rockhampton Cemetery in Compartment 11, Section 2, Graves 45 and 46.