CARRICK, Colin Bernard (1896-1939)
Colin Bernard Carrick first attended Preston State School and was then enrolled at Geelong College in February 1910. The following year, he was enrolled at Scotch College on 14 February but then returned to Geelong College in February 1912. At the time of his 1912 re-entry his enrolment address was listed as Cosham St, Brighton. At College, he was a member of the 1st Football XVIII for four years from 1912 to 1915, the 1st Cricket XI in 1915 and a School Prefect in 1915. He was born on 2 May 1896, the son of John Carrick and Margaret Houston nee McKenzie.
He enlisted (No 3676) during World War I as a Private in the AIF on 6 March 1916, embarked for England and France with 29 Battalion on 1 August 1916 on HMAT A67 Orsova, and served with this battalion until just before the end of the war.
Pegasus of December 1918 reported:
'Colin Carrick writes from France, and is very well. He states that he received the December 1917 and May 1918 Pegasus, and greatly enjoyed reading them. He had seen several Old Boys, Jack Salmon, Russell Blake, Bob Hodges, and Eric Finch, all of whom are well.'
The Australian War Memorial (AWM) briefly records the history of 29 Battalion:
'In early 1917, the German Army withdrew to the Hindenburg Line, allowing the British front to be advanced. The Germans, however, made selected stands to delay this advance and 28 Battalion was involved in defeating a counter-attack at Beaumetz on 23 March. The battalion subsequently missed the heavy fighting to breach the Hindenburg Line during the second battle of Bullecourt as the 8th Brigade was deployed to protect the Division’s flank. The only large battle in 1917 in which 29 Battalion played a major role was Polygon Wood, fought in the Ypres sector in Belgium on 26 September. Unlike some AIF battalions, the 29th had a relatively quiet time during the German Spring Offensive of 1918 as the Fifth Division was in reserve for a lot of the time. When the Allies took to the offensive again, the 29th fought in a minor attack at Morlancourt on 29 July, and then in August and September took part in the great advance that followed the battle of Amiens. The 29th fought its last major action in September when the Fifth and Third Australian Divisions, and two American divisions attacked the Hindenburg Line across the top of the St Quentin Canal tunnel; the canal was a major obstacle in the German defensive scheme. The offensive of 1918, however, had strained the AIF almost to breaking point. 29 Battalion was disbanded to provide reinforcements for other 8th Brigade units on 12 October.'
Colin Carrick transferred to 32 Battalion on 12 October 1918, when some battalions were unpopularly disbanded and merged. He returned to Australia, embarking on 18 February 1919. He died on 23 September 1939 at Caulfield, Victoria.
Sources: Based on an edited extract from Geelong Collegians at the Great War compiled by James Affleck; p.150 (citing Pegasus; Australian War Memorial; National Archives).