While browsing Ipswich First, the Ipswich City Council’s news and information feed, in June 2020, I read about the Tom Kerle Bridge at Old Red Gum Crossing at Calvert and how its condition was deteriorating. A structural assessment had indicated that continued usage by heavy vehicles could cause further damage to its structure and integrity, so from Monday, 29 June 2020 a permanent 15 tonne gross load limit was imposed on the bridge.
I pondered on the names on the bridge’s sign. They sounded so intriguing, “Red Gum Crossing”…. “Tom Kerle”…. and so Ocker (Australian)!
Then the Ipswich Tribune of 15th July 2022 ran an article about the Tom Kerle Bridge, Hiddenvale Road, Calvert . It would be replaced at a cost of $2.6 million. “Council decided on a full replacement of the four-span 27.6m timber bridge which crosses the Western Creek,” Cr Sheila Ireland said.
I had to go and see it for myself before it disappeared. I read the plaque on the side of the road at the entrance to the bridge, “Red Gum Crossing”. It informs the reader about the old “Forest Red Gum” on the creek bank, which is estimated to be about 463 years old.
I wondered, who was this man Tom Kerle who shared pride of place on the sign with this ancient gum?
With some investigation back at home, it turned out that Tom Kerle was actually named Theodore Kerle.
Theodore “Tom” Kerle was born 6th October 1914 at Marburg to parents Benno Friedrich Kerle (1888-1966), a Farmer at Hidden Vale, and Rosalie nee Zabel (1888-1956). Tom had 6 sisters and 4 brothers. They were Anna Emilie Boughen, Clara Emma Doonan, Harold Kerle, Percy Kerle, Ellen Alma Kerle, Victor Kerle, Vera Edna Kerle, Beryl Ruby Finch, Corinna Marjorie Nicholson and Eric Kerle.
During his lifetime Tom worked as a Farmer, Bullock Driver, Carpenter, Wheelwight and Labourer.
In his youth he worked on the family farm until he undertook driving bullock drays and carting enormous sized logs around the Grandchester district. He boasted that he had no schooling. Tom was member of the local football club at Grandchester and a member of the Calvert Cricket Club. Like many young men and women, he enjoyed going to the local dances and sometimes won prizes waltzing with his dancing partners, the Monte Carlo being a favourite of Tom’s.
Foxes have always been a menace in rural life. When Tom was 20, several fowls in the area were taken by foxes. A burrow was located on John Ponting’s property. Colin Waters and Tom unearthed three half-grown ones. Their fate, I’ll leave to your imagination.
Tom Kerle (SN B4747) enlisted in the Militia as a Trooper in the 2nd 14th Lightfoot on 10th July 1937, in Brisbane. He was described as being a farmer, 5ft 10ins tall, weight 150lb, brown hair, brown eyes, dark complexion and he had 2 scars on his lower left leg. His religion was Church of England and his next of kin was his mother.
On Monday 9th May 1939, four lads, B. Madden, M. Maroski, G. Lee, and T. Kerle left home for a training camp at Chermside for 12 days.
Spider, the horse, was reluctant to part with his feed bag when Trooper Tom Kerle, collecting feed bags, passed
down the horse lines of the 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment, Beaudesert. (Saturday 10th February, 1940)
Eight months after World War 2 began, on 29th May 1940, Tom Kerle enlisted at Kelvin Grove in the 7 Division Cavalry Regiment for service abroad. He had been examined by Doctor Robert Wallace in Rosewood on 10th and was declared fit to enlist. Tom gave his occupation as a Carpenter and next of kin as Rose Kerle, Calvert.
The following is an account of his service:-
When Tom returned home to Calvert, no doubt, like thousands of other soldiers, he adjusted as best he could to civilian life in his own good time. A welcome home ceremony was held in Grandchester in July 1946 for 46 returned service men and women. Tom and the other men were each presented with a gift of a tobacco pouch, a sum of money, a notecase and a certificate, by E. B. Maher M.L.A..
By 1951 Tom was involved in community life. He was part of the group of men who worked towards getting a recreation hall in town. A meeting of the Calvert Recreation Hall Committee was held in the Calvert school on 28th June when Tom was elected as the secretary. The other members were: President, Mr. J. W. Lee; vice-president. Mr. G. Mann; treasurer, Mr. K. Allen; auditor, Mr. J. Reid; committee, Messrs. A. Campbell, G. Osland and T. Wilkie. The Hall was finally opened in early December 1953 and, at the event, Mr Lee particularly thanked Tom Kerle for his large donation of timber to help complete the hall.
In February 1954, Tom was working with Murdo McKenzie dipping Murdo’s cattle on his property at Old Hidden Vale Station. A Zebu bull charged Murdo, striking him with its horns. His face was badly cut and bruised but no severe injuries were afflicted thanks to Tom, who dragged him to safety.
Tom Kerle died 10th September 1990, in Ipswich, just shy of his 76th birthday. He was interred at the Warrill Park Lawn Cemetery, Cassisa Avenue Section 2, Row 44.
Tom apparently possessed a sharp tongue and a heart of gold. And it was said that he never let a friend down. He could not abide “so called experts” telling him how to do his work. His carpentry and wheelwright work, though self taught, was skillfull and well performed. He only used a make-shift sheet of tin with spoke and wheel markings as a guide, yet his work was faultless and made to last. Along with an old rolling machine, lathe, firing area and cooling pit, Tom crafted his wheels in his huge self-built shed. Outside of his shed he had a sign which displayed his dry wit. “We shoot every third agent. The second one just left.” Cleary he had no time for opportunistic time-wasters. He crafted sulkies and gigs and bullock wagons and many impressive 7 metre long, rawhide whips.
Tom lived a humble life. He chose not to have electicity connected to his property when it was connected to the town around 1946. His appliances were an old wood stove and kerosene fridge, having made all of his furniture himself. His bathtub was located outside. Tom was convinced that human beings had become far too lazy and that money lay at the root of much of the strife in the world.
In an interview he gave before he died, Tom said, “Contentment is everything, not money. I’ve walked away from dozens of good jobs because I wasn’t happy with the bastards I had to work with. You don’t see things in life in an office watching the clock. I’ve learnt more about life sitting on my verandah looking at what happens outside my front door and reading my books.”
It’s safe to say that Tom and I are alike in some ways.
Like that ancient Red Gum tree, Tom Kerle was part of the living history of the Calvert area, both solitary figures standing strong amongst the rest, well grounded, living by their own terms, weathering whatever life threw their way and observing the development of the district.
I can see why Tom’s name belongs on that sign at the bridge.
Photos kindly provided by Wayne Kurtz .
Wayne lived across the road from Tom Kerle in Gipps Street, Calvert and spent a lot of time with him as a child, plaiting whips or sitting on Tom’s veranda talking.
© Jane Schy, 2024
Sources:
(1) Queensland Times (Ipswich, Qld. : 1909 – 1954), Monday 8 November 1943, page 4
Queensland Registry Births, Deaths & Marriages
Trove – National Libary Australia
National Archives Australia