Thomas Cecil Fairbairn Esq. (1918 - abt. 2009)

Biography

LT Thomas Cecil 'Terry' Fairbairn

Thomas Cecil 'Terry' Fairbairn Esq. was born on 26th April 1918 in Stephenstown, County Louth, Ireland. ^[1] He was the son of Thomas Fairbairn and Sarah Eliza Fairbairn (Thomas and Sarah were first cousins). ^[2]

He migrated to New South Wales, Australia. ^[3]

Tom married Janet Hadden, the older daughter of Scottish emigrants, in 1940 in Campbelltown, New South Wales. ^[4]

On 4th January 1940 Terry was commissioned in the Second Australian Imperial Force for military service overseas and was allocated to the 2/1st Infantry Battalion. ^[1] He served as Pioneers Platoon commander in the successful attacks on Bardia and Tobruk, Libya in January 1941. The Pioneers endured particularly hazardous duties, going into the attack prioir to the Rifle Companies to blow holes in defensive barbed wire 'fences' and knocking-down tank trap ditches whilst under fire. Terry's leadership at Bardia, his 'baptism of fire', was excellent and paved the way for the huge success. ^[5]

In March, the entire 6th Division, of which the 2/1st was but a small part, re-deployed to Greece. For the upcoming campaign, the division became part of a New Zealand and Australian Corps; thereby entitling Terry to call himself an ANZAC. After weeks of fighting an overwhelming German Army, the mainland was evacuated (on 25th April) for the island of Crete. Tasked with defending the aerodrome at Retimo, the 2/1st built excellent defences at the hands of Tom's Pioneers. Their defence lasted beyond that of much of the island, until the 30th May when, short of ammunition and rations, the battalion was forced to surrender. ^[5]

Tom became a prisoner-of-war, along with some 500 unit members. After an eight-day trip north in late-Spring in an unsanitary railway cattle car he was held in Officier Lager (Oflag) X-C near Lübeck in northern Germany, Oflag VI-B near Dössel in northwestern Germany, Oflag VII-B near Eichstätt, Bavaria, and Oflag IX-A/H near Spangenberg in northeastern Hesse. ^[6] Terry afterwards stated that he was tortured in the beginning. Although wounded in his right leg and left arm, his 'uniform and boots were wired on' to him and 'for ten days he was handcuffed, bashed twice a day and each day castor oil poured down his throat'. This was as a result of his refusal, being Irish-born, to join an Irish battalion to serve in Germany. ^[7]

Escaping in January 1945, Terry reached an American unit, where he commanded a platoon for three weeks before being taken to a US military hospital where he spent two further weeks. He was then evacuated to an Australian military hospital in England. ^[7] After repatriation to Australia following victory in Europe he was rehabilitated, and finally discharged on 31st July 1946. ^[8] Following the war, he was awarded the campaign and service medals: 1939-1945, Africa Star, War Medal 1939-1945 and Australia Service Medal 1939-1945. A custom of the time was for ex-Lieutenants and Captains to use the term 'Esquire' (Majors and above were entitled to use their rank when retired). Terry adopted the style and continued to use it all his life.

Terry stood, unsuccessfully, as the Liberal Party candidate for the New South Wales electoral district of Waverley in the 1947 Legislative Assembly elections, gaining 37.5% of the vote but losing to the incumbent Labor Party member, Clarence 'Clarrie' Martin (who had held the seat since 1939 and would do so until his death in 1953). ^[9]

He later retired to Wilston, in Brisbane's inner north-western suburbs.

Aged 91 years, Terry passed away in August 2009 and his ashes subsequently placed in Pinnaroo Lawn Cemetery, Bridgeman Downs, Queensland (MEMORIAL WALL 2 Wall / panel: Side: Row: Niche number: 181). ^[10] The Sydney Morning Herald published a brief notice of death on 25th August:

"Terry Fairbairn, age 91 years, late of Wilston Qld, formerly of Sydney."

A funeral notice was published in Brisbane's Courier Mail on 27th August.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Department of Veterans' Affairs nominal roll: NX9822 Lieutenant Thomas Cecil Fairbairn; accessed 26 May 2021
2. ↑ unsubstantiated family records
3. ↑ evidenced by his marrying there in 1940 and settling - migration records not yet located
4. ↑ New South Wales Marriage Index #3280/1940
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Givney, Edwin C. The First at War: The Story of the 2/1st Australian Infantry Battalion 1939-45. The Association of First Infantry Battalions, Earlwood, 1987. ISBN 1 86252 965 5
6. ↑ POW Memorial Ballarat; accessed 7 Jul 2021
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} Smith, Graham J. The Making of Warriors. Rosenberg, Dural NSW, 2020. ISBN 978 0 6484466 6 8
8. ↑ Camden Remembers; accessed 8 Jul 2021
9. ↑ Parliament of New South Wales election results; accessed 8 Jul 2021
10. ↑ [1]

See also

• Givney, Edwin C 'Ted'. The First at War: The Story of the 2/1st Australian Infantry Battalion 1939-45. The Association of First Infantry Battalions, Earlwood, 1987. ISBN 1 86252 965 5.
• Smith, Graham J (Jack Ledden's great nephew). The Making of Warriors: The Story of The 2/1st Australian Infantry Battalion, The City of Sydney Regiment 1939-1942. Rosenberg, Dural NSW, 2020. ISBN 978 0 6484466 6 8.