Talbot Hobbs facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Talbot Hobbs
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Lieutenant General Talbot Hobbs in 1928
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| Born | 24 August 1864 London, England |
| Died | 21 April 1938 (aged 73) At sea |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom Australia |
| Service/ |
British Army (1883–87) Australian Army (1887–1927) |
| Years of service | 1883–1927 |
| Rank | Lieutenant General |
| Commands held | Australian Corps (1918–19) 5th Division (1916–18, 1921–27) 1st Division Artillery (1914–16) 22nd Infantry Brigade (1913–14) Western Australian Mixed Brigade (1908–13) 1st (Western Australian) Field Battery (1903–08) |
| Battles/wars | First World War |
| Awards | Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration Mentioned in Despatches (8) Commander of the Order of the White Eagle (Serbia) Croix de Guerre (France) |
| Other work | Architect |
Sir Joseph John Talbot Hobbs (born August 24, 1864 – died April 21, 1938) was an important Australian architect. He was also a high-ranking general during the First World War.
Contents
Becoming an Architect and Soldier
Early Life and Moving to Australia
Talbot Hobbs was born in London, England, on August 24, 1864. His parents were Joseph and Frances Ann Hobbs. He went to St Mary's church school in Merton, Surrey. In 1883, he joined the volunteer artillery, which was a type of army unit.
He also worked as a draughtsman for a builder named John Hurst. A draughtsman is someone who makes detailed technical drawings. In 1886, Hobbs moved with Hurst to Western Australia. The next year, in 1887, he started his own architecture business in Perth.
Designing Famous Buildings
Hobbs designed many well-known public buildings in Perth and Fremantle. These include the Weld Club and the Savoy Hotel. He also designed the Perth Masonic Lodge.
He was very involved in the world of architecture. In 1896, he was the treasurer for the Western Australian Institute of Architects. Later, he became the president of the institute from 1909 to 1911. From 1905, he was a senior partner in a firm called Hobbs, Smith & Forbes.
Hobbs also designed homes for people. One of his first homes was Samson House in Fremantle. This house shows the style of the late 1800s. It was built in two parts between 1888 and 1890. Samson House is now listed with the National Trust of Australia. It is also in the Register of the National Estate.
A Military Leader
Joining the Army and Training
In 1887, Hobbs joined the volunteer artillery in Perth as a gunner. A gunner is someone who operates a large gun. He quickly moved up in rank. In 1889, he became an officer. By 1903, he was in charge of the 1st (Western Australian) Field Battery.
In 1906, he was a lieutenant colonel. He commanded a mixed brigade in Western Australia. By 1913, he was a colonel leading the 22nd Infantry Brigade. Hobbs traveled to England four times to take special artillery training courses. This training made him very ready when the First World War began.
Fighting in World War I
When war started on August 8, 1914, Hobbs was chosen for an important role. Major General William Bridges picked him to lead the 1st Australian Divisional Artillery.
After training in Egypt, Hobbs was part of the landing at Gallipoli on April 25, 1915. He quickly went ashore to find good places for his guns. He led the artillery until November 9, 1915. He then became sick and had to go to Cairo to recover.
Hobbs was promoted to brigadier general. He also received an award called the Companion of the Order of the Bath. In March 1916, he went with the 1st Australian Division to France. He was in charge of the Australian artillery when the Pozières was captured.
In December 1916, he took command of the 5th Australian Division. He became a major general in January. His division fought bravely in 1917. In September, they did very well at Polygon Wood. Hobbs was recognized for his leadership. On January 1, 1918, he received two more high honors. These were the Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath and the Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George.
At the end of April, his division fought in the Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux. This battle helped stop German attacks towards Amiens.
Leading the Australian Corps
In May, Lieutenant General Sir John Monash became the leader of the Australian Corps. Hobbs became the most senior divisional commander under him. His division then got a much-needed rest.
However, they soon joined a big counterattack that started on August 8. Monash praised Hobbs's division. He said they performed well even when called into battle very quickly. One of Hobbs's difficult tasks was crossing the Somme River while facing strong enemy forces.
On September 8, Hobbs sent a message to his tired division. He told them they had "earned imperishable fame for their gallantry and valour." This means they had become famous forever for their bravery. Their rest was short. They were back in action later that month. Hobbs made careful plans for an attack on the Hindenburg line. This line was successfully broken by the 3rd and 5th divisions on September 30 and October 1.
Monash was put in charge of sending Australian troops home after the war. Hobbs then took over command of the Australian Corps until May 1919.
After the War
Returning to Architecture
After the war ended, Hobbs decided to go back to being an architect. He was very interested in designing war memorials. He designed the Western Australian War Memorial in Kings Park, Perth. He also designed St George's College in Crawley. Other buildings he designed include the Temperance and General and Royal Insurance buildings.
His Final Journey
Hobbs died at sea on April 21, 1938. He had a heart attack. He was on his way to see the unveiling of the Villers–Bretonneux Australian National Memorial. This memorial was designed by another famous architect, Sir Edwin Lutyens.
Remembering Sir Talbot Hobbs
A Great Citizen and Soldier
Hobbs was a short and slender man. In his everyday life, he was a successful citizen. He always understood his duties to his community. He was very capable and always tried his best.
Sir John Monash said that Hobbs was a great division commander. He succeeded because of his good common sense. Lieutenant General Sir Brudenell White also spoke highly of him. He said Hobbs was "not only a soldier, he was also a great citizen, and a great Christian gentleman."
The Talbot Hobbs Memorial
The Lieut. General Sir J. J. Talbot Hobbs Memorial is also known as the Talbot Hobbs memorial. It was built just before the Second World War. The memorial is made of Donnybrook stone. It has a bronze bust, which is a sculpture of Hobbs's head and shoulders, on top. It stands against a background of Canary Island Palms on the Perth Esplanade.
Since it was built, the memorial has been an important spot. It is where the salute is taken during the Anzac Day parade. Queen Elizabeth II also took the salute from here during her visit in 1954. The memorial was added to the Western Australian Heritage register on March 18, 2005.
The memorial was later moved to the Supreme Court Gardens. This happened as part of the 2012 redevelopment plans for the Perth Esplanade.
