McCORMACK, Garnet Frederick Binge

Garnet Frederick Binge was born on 24 November, 1896, the son of Henry Morris McCormack (d. 1927) and Caroline Katie, nee Binge (d. 1945).  He was nineteen years and 11 months old when he enlisted on 25 October, 1916, and identified his job as motor driver.  He had served 2 years in the Cadets, was 5'5" tall, with blue eyes and fair hair, and was a member of the Church of England. He was to spend 1099 days in active service during World War 1, serving from 25 October, 1916 to 18 July 1919.

On 23 December, 1916, Garnet McCormack and other recruits left for England on board R.M.S. Orontes landing in Plymouth on 18 February, 1917. From here, he went to to the A.A. Training Depot at Parkhouse, then  proceeded  overseas to France from Folkestone  on 28 March, 1917 and disembarking at Boulogne in the Nord-Pas de Calais., before moving on to Rouen. He was serving with the Auxiliary Mechanical Transport Company. Each Division of the army had a certain number of motorised transport attached to it, although not directly under its own command. The Divisional Supply companies, which which Garnet McCormack served, were responsible for the supply of goods, equipment and ammunition from the rail head to the Refilling Point and, if conditions  allowed, to the dumps and stores of the forward units.  McCromack would have been one of the drivers bringing all kinds of supplies to the Front. On 14 July, 1917, he was taken on strength from 'K' Ammunition and detached to 'B' Corps on 21 July. On 13 August, 1918, he came back to France, presumably after furlough and joined taken on strength of the A.D.M.T. Company from Base Depot. He served on the Western Front until 31 May, 1919 when, with the war over, he disembarked at Southampton on 5 June, 1919.

Garnet McCormack began the return to civilian life on 18 July, 1919, returning to Australia on board the  H.M.T. Takada. The Takada had operated as a hospital ship during the war from 1915 to 1919 and, according to the wartimesmemoryproject.com, made only one trip to Australia in 1919,  to bring convalescent soldiers home. This may have been the period when Garnet M cCormack was attached to the 1st Field Ambulance; notes on the say that ambulance staff were on board to look after the men. 

In 1924, Garnet McCormack marries Eileen Mary Sheehan. Their one child, a daughter, Valerie Edna McCormack was born the same year. Over the years, The couple lived in Melbourne, in 1931 at 36 Gardenvale Rd., in 1948 at Auburn Rd., Hawthorn. and in 1967 at 917 Glenhuntly Rd. He described himself  a manager, a Garage Proprietor, and finally, as a gentleman. Garnet McCormack died at Bundoora on 24 November, 1981 and is buried at Caulfield Cemetery. Eileen died in 1982 and their daughter, Vasleria, in 2010.