FarvyTomandNanna

Family of

Thomas Stephen Lanham 19 May 1889 in Lefroy, Tasmania Australia - 24 jun 1964 in Launceston, Tasmania, Australia

2nd son of William Stephen Stamford Martin Lanham and Elizabeth Susan Williams

married 10th September 1918

at Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Cameron St, Launceston Tasmania Australia

Isabella Crawford 4th December 1900 in Bangor, Tasmania, Australia - 3 Oct 1978, in Launceston,Tasmania, Australia

2nd daughter to John Crawford and Ann Christina Brebner Robertson

Thomas Stephen Lanham Service - Australian Army

Service Number - T34232 12th battalion, Australian Army

Date of embarkation 20 October 1914 HMAT Geelong Ship number A2

Place of embarkation Hobart, Tasmania Australia

Tom and Isabella met during a visit to the hospital. Isabella had gone with her sister, Irene "Rene" Crawford to visit the young man her sister was to marry, James "Jim" Gearing. (Rene and Jim were married 7 Jul 1917) In the next bed was Jim's mate, Tom Lanham and so began a lifetime of the ups and downs life brings to each one of us. It is known through the family that Tom never raised his voice to his beloved "Dutch". Realistically we would iamgine that they, like all couples had moments of 'spats'. Certainly in the years of my acquaintance, they were always kind and considerate of one another. Tom had the reputation of being easy 'to anger', but not with Dutch. He was an avid horsebreeder and trainer and raced his horses with love. As children we loved to visit his 'back yard' with his horses and Blacksmiths forge where many came with their horses to have shoes fitted, hoofs treated, chat about feed and methods of care.

Thomas Stephen Lanham, alongside my other grandfather Albert Edward Moore was also involved in the politics of the day. They were both involved in the early days of the Australian Labour Party, both being awarded life long party membership. They both claimed cousinship to Joe Lyons Prime Minister of Australia. ( Joseph Lyons, a Catholic and anti-conscriptionist, who rose to lead the Labour Party into State Government, but became Australia's Prime Minister as a Conservative). So far in my research I have only found relationship as distant cousins for Thomas Stephen Lanham to Joe Lyons. My own love of history and politics stemmed from those times when, as a "flappy-eared kid", I sat quietly listening and absorbing the talk between my two grandfathers. Farvy Tom as we knew him, had been a heavy smoker and in an effort to 'quit' ate 'minties' which he would as he talked slowly unwrap and then tear the wrapper/paper into as narrow a strip as possible, rewarding the nearest child with his accomplishment. Meanwhile Nanna, (Isabella) would be cooking in the kitchen. Always a different dish for whomever was present. Everyone's likes and dislikes where food was concerned, was catered to.

Tuesdays was "Nanna's Day. All the grandchildren would make their way from school to her house. We were allowed to help feed the horses - watch from a respectable distance from the forge as horses were shod and then all have afternoon tea. Afternoon tea was always the same. a current Bun , a cream horn and a drink of cordial. If you were lucky enough o be home from school on a Tuesday and be there early then a trip to the bakery was inevetiable and an extra treat procured for the 'lucky' child. The bakery was next door to "Mar's" (Elizabeth Susan Lanham) house. Sometimes we'd call in for a chat where as a child it was a place of wonderment in the old wind up gramophone, the peach tree in the back yard, the afghans knitted and crocheted by Mar and the photos in frames all over the house. Memory recalls the images but sadly technology is not yet at a stage where it can pull those images to this screen to share with you.

In the years of my memory Tom Lanham worked as a Linesmen with the PMG (Post Master General). Today there is no PMG as telecommunications have changed. His 'hobby' was his horses. I remember from quite an early age going to the races on Saturday. The women always dressed up, the men shared comradeship and jollity, overlooking the stress of the behind the scenes effeciency which precedes each race. The horses rolling in their mud baths after each race, too cool off. Loading the horses inot their trailers at the end of the day produced a feeling for "home", pleasure for a job well done. Winning or losing was not an issue - the love of the race and for the horses was more obvious. I'd stayed within touching distance of my Nanna all day, 'flappy eared' wide eyed absorbing stories about which I could write more than 50 years along.

On this page is not included life at Adamsfield. It has a page of it's own where both my grandfahters, great grandfathers and many relatives worked and lived for a number of years.

Thomas Stephen Lanham, Paddy to his mates was in the first wave of Australian servicemen to the shores Gallipoli at 4.30am on that morning of the 25th April 1915. Did they memory of ancestors long gone ride with him as he stepped ashore? Military blood ran through his veins. I often wonder if he knew the names of ancestors of men such as his great grandfather William Leviston, involved in the now famous Rum Rebellion Corp of early colonial days and whose father was also an Irishmen in a British regiment. Did he know of his own father's strand at Eureka and the part played in Australian history at the Eureka Stockade? I'm sure as he became part of Australian history on that cold and foggy morning on April 25, that he didn't know he was descended from two members of Australia's First Fleet. Such knowledge was shameful to share in those days of the early 1900's. Distance of time gives a different perspective of the achievements gained through each generation.

The 12th Battalion was among the first infantry units raised for the AIF during the First World War. Half of the battalion was recruited in Tasmania, a quarter was recruited in South Australia, and a quarter from Western Australia. With the 9th, 10th and 11th Battalions it formed the 3rd Brigade.

The battalion was raised within three weeks of the declaration of war in August 1914 and embarked just two months later. After a brief stop in Albany, Western Australia, the battalion proceeded to Egypt, arriving in early December. The 3rd Brigade was the covering force for the ANZAC landing on 25 April 1915 and so was the first ashore at around 4:30 am. Lieutenant Colonel L. F. Clarke, commander of the 12th Battalion, was killed by a sniper within hours of the landing. The battalion was heavily involved in establishing and defending the front line of the ANZAC position, and in August contributed two companies to the attack on Lone Pine. It was the only battalion in the brigade to do so. The 12th served at ANZAC until the evacuation in December.

After the withdrawal from Gallipoli, the 12th Battalion returned to Egypt and, in March 1916, sailed for France and the Western Front. From then until 1918 the battalion took part in bitter trench warfare. The battalion’s first major action in France was at Pozières in the Somme valley in July 1916. After Pozières, the battalion fought at Ypres in Flanders and then returned to the Somme for winter.

In 1917 the battalion took part in the brief advance that followed the German Army’s retreat to the Hindenburg Line. For their valorous actions near Boursies during this advance, Captain J. E. ‘Jim’ Newland, commanding A Company, and Sergeant J. W. Whittle were each awarded the Victoria Cross. The battalion subsequently returned to Belgium to participate in the offensive that became known as the Third Battle of Ypres.

In March and April 1918 the battalion helped to stop the German spring offensive, and later participated in the great allied offensive of 1918, fighting near Amiens on 8 August 1918. This advance by British and empire troops was the greatest success in a single day on the Western Front, one that German General Erich Ludendorff described as “the black day of the German Army in this war”.

The battalion continued operations until late September 1918. At 11 am on 11 November 1918, the guns fell silent. Soon after, the members of the AIF began to return to Australia for demobilisation and discharge

Tom & Bella's residence from 1950 onwards

99 Balfour St. Launceston Tasmania _ heritage Listed

Isabella Lanham nee Crawford

photo taken 1951

Hobart, Tasmania. 1914-10-14. The 12th Battalion, AIF, marching through the city prior to embarking for service overseas. The mounted officer on the extreme right at the head of the Battalion is Colonel L. F. Clarke who was one of the first officers to be killed in the Gallipoli landing.

More photos and stories on this battalion at

http://www.newtownprimary.tased.edu.au/HISTORY/Anzac/HonRoll/12Battalion/12Batindex.htm

12th Battalion embark on "Geelong" for Egypt, Oct 1914

Captain Ivor Margetts, 12th Battalion

(Tasmania and Western Australia), killed in action at Pozières 23 July 1916. [AWM H15808]

The war for the men of ANZAC did not finish with Gallipoli campaign, sick, tired and wounded they were sent on to Europe for bombardment, deprivation and disease to come.

More on these battles may be read here:

http://www.ww1westernfront.gov.au/pozieres-australian-memorial/australian-capture-23-july-1916.htm

Captain Ivor Margetts was a beloved officer of the regiment. (His wife and family continued to live in Tasmania.) My grandfather mentions him in his post war diaries and named his second born son in his honour. Ivo "Mick' Lanham was born nov 1918 in Launceston, son of Tom and Belle Lanham, . He too knew the trials and tribultaions of war when he served his country in World War II, captured and became a POW in Germany.

Tom Lanham came back from Gallipoli with different philosophies from those previously held. He was bitter towards the British Establishment and refused ever after to acknowledge the King of England, George V

Tom's diary tells of the men from the 12 battalion, sick, wounded, battle scarred being forced to stand and wait in rain and deep mud, to greet King George V. They stood in formation for four hours, hearts in despair to have the King and Officers drive by without pause or acknowledgement.

Tom went to war as a Christina Protestant then came back from war as an atheist. He, like many young men of his era said that there could be no God, for God would not allow such carnage. He became anti-establishment. Men in charge who should ahve the care and concern of their troops, bowed to "higher" authority and allowed men to be treated as 'less than animals'. His own personal suffering stayed with him all his days. The deep hole in his back an ever present reminder. He'd lain for several days on the battlefield amongst the dead, dying and wounded, stepped over by the few who did care adn try to save "mates'. The treatment by the Turksish command was even worse toward their wounded who were simply "left". In an effort to get help the young Turks frequently stole clothing from the bodies of the ANZACS. My grandfather, skin burned dark by the sun, dark hair and eyes not so blue was thought to be a Turk so left while 'mates' carried 'mates' to medical attention.

Thomas Stephen Lanham died on the 24th June 1964 while training one of his horses. He slipped in the sulky, caught his foot while the horse continued to run, couldn't escape and so left this life.

Isabella continued without her Tom, until Oct 1978