The Druid who went to war

The Great War had been raging in Europe for almost three years when the first Anzac Parade took place in Wollongong in 1917. Leading the soldiers along Crown Street that day marched an imposing moustachioed fellow, who despite being obviously older than any of his comrades, still towered above most of them.

Thomas Kennedy Irwin was born in Antrim County, Ireland in 1856. After leaving home in his early 20’s, the young Thomas eventually made his way to Scotland, where he met his future wife, and lifelong partner Elizabeth. Soon after the birth of the couple’s first child, they and another 446 government immigrants, boarded the iron clipper ‘Bann’, and on the 17th of June 1884 arrived in Sydney, Australia.

After a fairly brief stay with relatives in Bathurst, the family settled in Wollongong, where Thomas began his own business attending to horses. While at first offering mainly clipping and some veterinary services, by 1920 he was recognised, and advertising in local papers as a veterinary surgeon. It is believed he was the first accredited veterinary surgeon in the Wollongong district after the Veterinary Surgeons Act of 1923, albeit one without any formal education in the profession.

This knowledge of horses would not only provide Thomas Irwin and his rapidly growing family with an income throughout his life, it would also serve him well throughout three tours of duty in two different wars.

In late 1899 at the age of 44, leaving behind his family of now nine children Thomas enlisted as a gunner in the 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry. Queensland had been the first of the Australian colonies to offer support to Britain in their conflict against the Boers, and Thomas was among the first contingent of Australians to depart for South Africa.

The Australian soldiers had little if any training. Men were enlisted, and logistics, equipment and stores were organised less than a month before they departed. On arrival at Cape Colony they were faced with appalling conditions. More men (and horses) died from disease than from actual fighting during this time of the war.

Thomas was not one of those, safely returning to Australia in January of 1901. However almost a year to the day later he enlisted again. This time with the 1st Australian Commonwealth Horse. The Boer War was in its third and final stage, and had evolved into what could only be described as a type of guerrilla warfare between British (and Australian) mounted troops, and Boer irregulars.

The Australians were tasked with cutting off Boer support. This involved burning Boer farms, taking families prisoner, and confiscating all livestock, food and wagons. ‘B’ Company of which Thomas was a member, took 354 prisoners, including one Jan de la Rey, elder brother of Boer General — Koos de la Rey.

The company was personally commended by Lord Kitchener. In a telegram to the company’s commander he wrote, “Capital result. Tell troops I highly appreciate their exertions, and consider results very satisfactory”. He also added that this type of praise was “a very rare occurrence.”

This was not the only time that a company Thomas Irwin was a part of impressed Lord Kitchener. Upon his return to Australia in July of 1902, Thomas settled back into life in Wollongong as a veterinarian. In addition he was also a Warrant Officer with the Australian Garrison Artillery unit based at Flagstaff Hill in Wollongong. In 1910 Lord Kitchener visited Sydney, and looked on as the Wollongong unit narrowly defeated their more fancied Sydney rivals in the annual gunnery competition.

Around this time in Wollongong, workers within the local mining industry were fighting for better conditions, and mining companies were finding it more difficult to ignore their requests. Particularly after the fairly recent Bulli (1887) and Mount Kembla (1902) mine disasters, in which a combined 177 miners lost their lives. Workers were banding together and forming associations to give them a united voice, and although details are sketchy, it appears Thomas Irwin was the inaugural president of the New South Wales Coke-workers Association. An article in the Illawarra Mercury in 1911, refers to him as the new association’s president-elect, although it is unclear if he actually served in the role, or for how long.

When war broke out in Europe in 1914, Thomas Irwin was 58 years old. According to family historian and great grandson Edwin Grant, Banjo Patterson requested that Thomas enlist to help take care of the thousands of horses in North Africa. Whether this request from Patterson was his motivation or not, Thomas Irwin did re-enlist in September of 1915, and as a veterinarian to support the Light Horse Regiment in the Sinai Desert.

Three of his sons also enlisted during World War One. William and Charles served in Europe, while Thomas Jr. served in the Middle East. Unfortunately Charles was the only one who did not make it home. He was killed in France in October of 1917, and laid to rest in a military cemetery in Belgium.

Thomas Snr. returned home in June of 1916, and was discharged from service for the final time. During his time in the military Thomas Irwin was awarded the Queen’s South Africa, British War and Victory Medals, as well as the 1914–15 Star. After such distinguished service over three tours, it is not surprising that he led the first Anzac March in Wollongong the following year.

It would also seem that Thomas was not averse to ‘blowing his own trumpet’. In an 1892 letter to the editor (Illawarra Mercury), he scolded them for inaccuracies in an article published the day before about a young girl being burnt, and no passers-by coming to her aid. The letter also contained a lengthy version of events as they had in fact occurred. A version that naturally had him playing a prominent role in the rescue of the girl.

Thomas Irwin was apparently also a long standing member of the ancient order of Druids. It can be assumed, although perhaps erroneously, that he was initiated into the order while still living in Britain. It is unclear in what capacity, or how heavily he was involved with the druids, but this is natural considering the fairly secretive nature of the order.

Thomas continued to work as a veterinarian well into his 60’s. Then in June of 1927 he lost Elizabeth, and his own health began to fail. Although having led a very full life, Thomas and his family had never been well off. Indeed he even filed for bankruptcy in 1895. Nevertheless, he was held in high esteem by the Wollongong community, as is evidenced by the local girl guides raising money to pay for a permanent bed at Wollongong Hospital. Then when he finally passed away in May of 1930, at aged, 74 he was buried with full military honours and a parade down Kenny Street.

Thomas Kennedy Irwin Snr left a legacy in the Wollongong region that few others have achieved. Not only for what he achieved in his own lifetime, but also through his many descendants who still live in the area. May he forever rest in peace.

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