Rat of Tobruk at 100 still a digger
As one of the band of Diggers who became known as World War II's Rats of Tobruk, Colin Thomas had plenty of close calls.
There were times, he said, that when under enemy bombardment all they could do was take cover as best they could and hope their time had not come.
And then there was the shell that landed in a trench just as he and a group of mates headed towards it to take cover.
"We could have been very unlucky," he said.
For five months in 1941 he was one of the Allied forces, mostly Australians, who held firm in the Libyan town of Tobruk against repeated German and Italian assaults, shelling and bombing, enduring scorching daytime heat and freezing nights.
When German propaganda derisively referred to them as "rats", the Allies embraced it as an ironic compliment, and the name has stuck.
Mr Thomas worked in supply and was involved in moving ammunition, medicine, food and heavy shells around.
He remembers carrying 50kg bags of salt on his shoulders.
"When they got wet they got really heavy," he said.
But there were brief moments of respite, when small treats made a world of difference. Like when they managed to get some ice from one of the hospitals and the cooks made ice-cream.
"When you had temperatures of over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (about 38C) it was very welcome," he said. "I think everybody got at least a spoonful."
After returning to Australia as the threat from Japan grew, Mr Thomas served in the defence of New Guinea and on Bougainville island before finally being discharged in 1945.
He described New Guinea as "very wet".
"In places ammo was left on the side of the road," he said. "It's a wonder it fired at all."
In Melbourne after the war he married Anne and later moved to Perth, where he became a bookkeeper with Betts and Betts. The couple had a daughter, Lynne.
The passing of time recently made it necessary for Mr Thomas to move into Maurice Zeffert Home, Dianella, and last Wednesday he celebrated his 100th birthday.
He said he had been given two birthday cakes, one from family and one from the home's staff.
He said it had been wonderful to catch up with family, but he hadn't gone overboard.
"I just took it quietly," he said. "I don't believe in taking things excessively." And after the party he had "slept like a log".
Mr Thomas said that to avoid "getting bored doing bugger all" he had started a project to grow vegetables, which he was helping to water when _The Weekend West _ visited the home.
He hoped the project, which has been aided by a gift of seed-lings from the Department of Veterans' Affairs, would serve a couple of purposes.
Firstly, it could supply some vegetables to the kitchen and, secondly, it could help other residents who might not be in the best of health.
"I want to get the message to other organisations that it's a good move for people who are ill to get out in the open and get some fresh air," he said.
