Thursday, August 24, 2023

Issue:

Mackay and Whitsunday Life

ON REMEMBRANCE DAY – SALUTING FATHER GARD (MBE)

“THE PRIEST WHO STOPPED THE WAR”

Major Thomas Gard, Rat of Tobruk, is better known to the people of the Whitsundays as Father Gard, parish priest in Proserpine from 1966 until his retirement in 1988 and as a beloved coach to many young football players and cricketers in the area. But to the men of the 2/43rd Battalion, he was regarded as a legend in his own time. His award of an MBE was fitting recognition for this man renowned in military circles as “the priest who stopped the war”.

In 1933, Thomas Gard was ordained in the Sacred Heart Cathedral, Townsville and served in a number of North Queensland parishes. When war was declared in 1939, he sought his bishop’s permission to serve his country by providing for the spiritual needs of troops. So began an illustrious career as army chaplain with the 2/43rd Battalion.

On March 25/26, 1942, his battalion arrived at Tobruk joining the 20th and 26th Brigades of the 9th Division. After an initial settling in period, and getting accustomed to the vermin, heat and flies, the 2/43rd and 2/28th Battalions received orders to attack five heavily fortified German field positions at 3.30am, August 3.

By dawn of that day, it was apparent that the casualties were very high. Of the 129 men committed, only 23 returned unscathed. The wounded lying in No-man’s land could be heard calling for help. An audacious plan was devised to recover the wounded and dead.

Tensely watched by thousands of eyes behind the wire on either side, a truck bearing the Red Cross flag drove slowly into No-Man’s land. On the bonnet stood Padre Thomas Gard, flanked by Sergeant Wally Tuit waving the flag and another stretcher bearer, Private Keith Pope.

The truck was halted a couple of hundred metres from the German stronghold. A German officer appeared, ordering the party back but Father Gard walked forward, offering the German a cigarette. After talking for a while, the officer ordered a path to be cleared through the minefield to allow them to reach their dead and wounded. Enemy soldiers produced cigarettes and drinks as the task of collecting the men went on; soldiers waved from both sides.

The recovery was almost thwarted by the sudden burst of artillery shots. Father Gard calmly and insistently pledged his word to the officer, explaining the Australian artillery was not responsible. A message was urgently relayed to the Australian trenches and despatched by field telephone to British Headquarters. The firing ceased. The recovery resumed – 5 wounded and 28 bodies – every man accounted for.

When the mission of mercy was over, the peace that had fallen ended – the machine guns recommenced firing.

“To drive unarmed by day across no-man’s land in a motor truck under the Red Cross flag to ‘test’ the feeling of the Nazi frontline regarding the collection of Australian dead and wounded is as hard a task as any man can set himself in war. (Padre) ‘Tommy’ Gard … carried it off successfully – and regarded it as nothing out of his line of duty.” (“The Courier Mail” January 4, 1945)

Father Gard was a man who was loved and respected by thousands from all walks of life and from all generations; a man who was humble about his wartime achievements. When asked about the strange, unplanned, unofficial truce in Tobruk, he would always brush it aside by saying, “We could not have done it without help from above…”

LEST WE FORGET

Story courtesy of Proserpine Historical Museum; T.M (Marty) Doyle and “The Proserpine News 1939-1945 WW11” by Lyn Burke and Lloyd Fox.

Painting of Father Gard done by a local lady, Mrs Verla Dries.

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