Herbert Sherwood Marsh
From Our Contribution
 Courtesy Pam Leunig | |
| Personal Information | |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 15 Jul 1892 |
| Place of Birth | Armadale, Western Australia |
| Death | 6 Apr 1978, aged 85 |
| Place of Death | Como, Western Australia |
| Age at Enlistment | 23 years, 6 months |
| Description |
5' 9" (1.75m) tall ; 126 lbs 57.153 kg ; tanned complexion ; blue eyes ; light brown hair |
| Occupation | Farmer |
| Religion | Methodist |
| Address | Kelmscott, Western Australia |
| Next of Kin | Father , Nr John Sherwood Marsh |
| Military Information | |
| Reg Number | 2883 |
| Date of Enlistment | 20 Mar 1916 |
| Rank | Trooper |
| Unit/Formation | 10th Light Horse Regiment, 20th Reinforcements / ANZ Mounted Division |
| Date of Embarkation | 31 Jul 1916 ‒ 24 Aug 1916 |
| Ship Embarked On | RMS Mongolia Fremantle to Egypt |
| Date of Return | 10 Jul 1919 ‒ 4 Aug 1919 |
| Ship Returned On | SS Oxfordshire |
| Fate | Returned to Australia |
| Monument |
none currently Armadale Congregational Church Honour Board |
| Medals |
British War Medal Victory Medal |
Pre War
The only son, and eldest of four children born to Alice Butcher who was the first wife for John (Jack) Sherwood Marsh. (Alice died young aged 30 - and was buried at St Mary in the Valley, Kelmscott). John Sherwood remarried in 1901 to Mary Florence Plant. They later settled in Northam having increased the family by another 2 girls.
Herbert married Myrtle Edith Bechtel in Beverley in 1916 before going overseas. Myrtle died on 29 Oct 1967 in South Perth aged 73
War Service
Entered the Claremont camp on 31 Mar 1916, joining the 60th Depot Company briefly before undertaking further training with the 6th Depot Squadron, and then the 19th reinforcement draft for the 10th Light Horse Regiment. On 9 Jun 1916 Herbert was transferred to the 20th draft, and travelled with them to Egypt.
On arrival in Moascar, Egypt, Herbert was placed in the isolation camp on 25 Aug 1916 and kept there until 23 Sep 1916 when he joined the 3rd Light Horse Brigade Training Regiment. He finally joined the 10th Light Horse Regiment in the field on 23 Oct 1916 at Hod el Amara and spent the next month with them near Romani.
In Feb 1917 he was ill with lumbago for a week being treated by the 3rd Light Horse Brigade Field Ambulance, before being discharged to duty on 1 Mar 1917. He needed help again on 5 Apr 1917, this time at Deir El Belah with cystitis. He entered the 54th Casualty Clearing Station on 7 Apr 1917 before being passed on 9 Apr 1917 to the 24th Stationary Hospital, and then on 10 May 1917 to the 14th Australian General Hospital. On 23 Jun 1917 he was transferred to a convalescent depot at Montazah until 5 Jul 1917 when he was admitted to the 17th General Hospital in Alexandria. on 11 August he again entered the Montazah Rest Centre before returning to the 3rd Light Horse Brigade Training Regiment at Moascar on 22 Aug 1917.
Herbert returned to his unit on 26 Sep 1917, but it was not long before he was again in and out of hospitals from 4 Oct 1917, this time with malaria. On 18 May 1918 he entered the 3rd Light Horse Field Ambulance for treatment with diarrhea and two days later was transferred to the 47th Stationary Hospital at Kantana, followed by the 44th Stationary Hospital on 25 May 1918. The next day he was moved to the 31st General Hospital in Abbassia, and on 12 Jun 1918 he was released to a convalescent depot. Finally clear to return to duty on 21 Jun 1918, he returned to this unit on 29 Jun 1918.
Sick with malaria again, he was seen by medical staff in the Jordan Valley on 28 Jul 1918, and on 31 Jul 1918 he was admitted to the 32nd Casualty Clearing Station in Jerusalem. Transferred the same day to the 47th Stationary Hospital in Gaza, on 3 Aug 1918 he was transferred to the 44th Stationary Hospital in Kantana, and then the next day transferred to the 31st General Hospital in Abbassia. Herbert was discharged to duty on 25 Aug 1918.
On 12 Nov 1918 Herbert was admitted to the 14th Australian General Hospital in Port Said with another bout of malaria before being sent to a rest camp on 27 Dec 1918. He was released to the Moascar base camp on 8 Jan 1919 and then on 10 Feb 1919 to Kantana to await a ship home. He was discharged by the 5th Military District on 21 Nov 1919.
Post War
Electoral Roll entries: 1916 farmer at West Dale; 1925 Northam, farmer; 1926 a station hand at Norseman; (Myrtle, not with him); 1931 - 1968 at 29 Swan street, South Perth, collar maker; Son Fred Sherwood Marsh (b. 22 Nov 1924)who was a teacher was with them in 1968; 1972 -1977 at 77 Edgecumbe street Como with Fred and Joan Dorothy.
Fred Sherwood Marsh served from 30 Jan 1943 until 28 Feb 1946 in the RAAF as a Warrant Officer during WW2 with Reg No 436526
Notes
The 1917 Feb-Mar edition of The Drill of the Foot-Hills mentions his name only, but gives no details.