Patrick Sebastian White

Patrick Sebastian White was born in Tumbarumba on September 4 1884, to Patrick and Elizabeth Ann (nee Goldsmith) White. He was the youngest of three children. Pat’s mother passed away at Waterview, Tumbarumba, on September 6, two days after he was born. Tumbarumba's only practising doctor had arrived in the town only a few days before Elizabeth’s death. Newspaper reports state that Sarah was already “in a dying state” when he arrived. Patrick Senior was left with three children under five. Tragedy struck the family in November of 1889 when the oldest child, Mary, passed away.

Pat married Sarah Elizabeth Seymour on August 17 1910, at Corryong, Victoria. They settled on the family property, and before Pat enlisted, they would have three children: two boys, then a girl.

He enlisted at Cootamundra on May 20 1916. At the time, he was a single 31-year-old labourer living in Thurgoona, NSW. He was allocated the Service Number 2664 and placed in the 5th Reinforcements for the 38th Battalion as a Private. On November 1 1916, he embarked on HMAT A24 Benalla at Sydney, NSW.

Pat disembarked at Devonport, near Plymouth, on January 9 1917. He spent two months with the 16th Training Battalion and a short time in hospital with bronchitis before heading overseas to France. After a month further training, he was taken on strength with the 38th Battalion. The 5th Reinforcements had joined the battalion in time for their first major baptism of fire on the Western Front - the Battle of Messines. Three days into the battle, Pat was wounded by shell fire. He would not return to his unit for another 3 months.

The August 16 1917 edition of the Corryong Courier published a detailed letter Pat had written to his father while in France, describing his experiences in the opening stages of the Battle of Messines.

“June 12th, No. 6 General Hospital “Somewhere in France” - I suppos[e], you have heard ere this that I have been wounded, but only slightly, thank God. I was wounded on the second day of the battle of Messines. I hope this letter will pass the censor as I intend to tell you of a little that happened. Old Fritz knows to his sorrow all about it so I don’t think it’s any harm for me to tell you. After about a three mile march through a severe gas attack, in which we had to leave many of the poor boys, we reached our front line of trenches. We then had 30 minutes to wait for the attack. At 10 to 3 a.m. we heard, felt and saw one of the biggest explosions the world has ever seen. Up went Messines hill in earth, flames and smoke. In another minute we were over the top. We were amongst the first wave to go over. We were fighting shoulder to shoulder with the New Zealanders, and fine boys they are too. We crossed No Man’s Land and Douve River without resistance. Just beyond this point Fritz put up some resistance, but our boys with bombs, rifle and bayonet soon had him at their mercy, and after the awful gas attack that he had just put upon us you can bet your life that the boys did not show him much mercy. But with all his wickedness, once he puts up his hands we have to take him prisoner. I can tell you by this time I had very little clothes on. My trousers, the biggest part of them were left on the barbed wire, and our tunics you could wring the perspiration from them. The heat was terrific. We were following within 50 yards of our own barrage, and the heat from the bursting shells was like a furnace. By this time it was quite daylight and we could easily distinguish our New Zealand comrades moving about on Messines Ridge. We then knew that Messines and Douve Valley were in our hands. Then came the work of digging in under a hell of fire from the enemy artillery and machine guns, but the position, once taken, our boys held on and worked like tigers. Shrapnel playing a tune on our helmets one often had to stop digging to bandage up a wounded “cobber”. We worked all day strengthening our position - shells screaming and bursting and tearing the earth all around us - at dusk we were al standing, too, as we knew Fritz would probably counter attack. My mate (one of the old 6th [Battalion]) and I were standing side by side when there was a terrific explosion - a few feet from us - we were both knocked down and half smothered in earth. The first thing I knew was my poor old mate saying ‘Good-bye Pat, old boy, I’m done; send my pocket-book home.’ Poor fellow, I could do nothing for him, only bandage him and wet his lips from my water bottle - one of his legs was blown to shreds and his arm was badly shot. Poor fellow, he lived about half an hour in the greatest agony. I was glad when the end came and relieved him from the awful pain he was suffering. I then took all his things - his note book and Bible and other little keepsakes - and gave them to our officer to be sent home. As for myself I was hit but not badly. I had a very narrow escape, 15 cartridges in one of my pouches on the right side were practically smashed to pieces ad a piec of shrapnel entered my shoulder. There was a pice of shrapnel went through my dixie [mess tin], which is carried on the back. My water bottle was badly bent and my entrenching tool handle was completely cut off. I have a bruise on the left shoulder which the boys say resembles Fritz’s iron cross, so he was after me alright - but he has not got me yet. I’m getting on OK, and with a bit of luck will be back with the boys in about a fortnight. My heart is with the boys at the front. I know what they have to go through, and I know that everyone that is away makes it harder for those that are there.”

On February 2 1918, Pat and Sarah's daughter, Patricia Ellen, died. She was buried in the Albury Pioneer Cemetery, where she rests in a known place but in an unmarked grave.

Pat’s Record of Service shows that he was wounded on March 1 1918, with a gunshot wound to the left hand. The wound was severe enough for him to be evacuated to England and admitted to the Brook War Hospital in Woolwich. He would not rejoin his unit in France until June 13.

From the 10th to the 12th August, the battalion, as part of the 10th Brigade of the 3rd Division, participated in an operation in the area of Proyart, a village in the Somme Valley in France. The Brigade was assisted by six tanks from the 8th Tank Battalion. The advance was met with heavy German resistance, including the use of aircraft to bomb the advancing troops. The Germans also used gas, as it was on August 12 that Pat was wounded by inhaling gas. He was eventually admitted to the 83rd General Hospital in Boulogne. He was transferred to the 25th General Hospital to recover from the effects of gas and also scabies.  He returned to the battalion on September 23, only to be wounded in action for the fourth time by a gunshot to the right forearm, seven days later.

After a few days at the 12th General Hospital in Rouen, he was evacuated to England and admitted to the 2nd Western General Hospital at Manchester. In early November, he was transferred to No. 2 Convalescent Hospital at Weymouth for one week before being admitted to the No. 1 Convalescent Hospital at Sutton Veny in Wiltshire.

Pat embarked on the SS City of York at Liverpool on January 14 1919, and returned to Australia. He was discharged on September 28 1919, and awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal for his services during the war.

Upon Pat's return home in February of 1920, the local community held a welcome-home party for Pat. Unfortunately, according to the Corryong Courier, Pat was unable to attend owing to feeling the effects of gassing. His wife, Sarah, and brother Thomas attended on his behalf.

Pat and Sarah would have two more children, a boy, Douglas and a girl, Doris. By 1930 the family had moved to Thurgoona Street in Albury, NSW, where, according to the 1930 Electoral Rolls, Pat was living as a war pensioner. Between 1934 and 1954, the White family lived at the same address, but Pat’s occupation was now “farmer”. Between 1954 and 1958, the family had moved to 394 North Street, Albury, and Pat had retired. 

He passed away at Heidelberg, Victoria on October 4 1962, and was buried in the Cheltenham Memorial Park Cemetery. Sarah remained at the family home until her death on February 10 1973, and was laid to rest in the Glenmorous Memorial Gardens in Albury.