Victor Henry Marshall
From Our Contribution
 | |
| Personal Information | |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | unknown |
| Place of Birth | Wollongong, New South Wales |
| Death | 11 Apr 1917 1st Bullecourt |
| Place of Death | 1st Bullecourt, France |
| Age at Enlistment | 19 years, 7 months |
| Description | 5'5" (1.65m) tall; weight 137 lbs (62.1 kg); dark complexion, greyish blue eyes, dark brown hair |
| Occupation | tailor |
| Religion | Presbyterian |
| Address | NOK Victoria park, Western Australia |
| Next of Kin | Father Mr Edwin S. Marshall |
| Military Information | |
| Reg Number | 90 |
| Date of Enlistment | 10 Sep 1914 |
| Rank | Lance Sergeant |
| Unit/Formation | 16th Battalion, A Company, 1 Platoon / 4th Brigade, 4th Division |
| Date of Embarkation | 2 Dec 1914 - 1 Feb 1915 |
| Ship Embarked On | HMAT A40 Ceramic |
| Fate | Killed in Action 11 Apr 1917 |
| Monument | Armadale War Memorial (West Armadale panel) |
| Medals |
1914-15 Star British War Medal Victory Medal |
Pre War
War Service
Served in Gallipoli and France. Allocated to the 16th Battalion on entry into Blackboy Hill camp, one of its very early members. After training in WA they sailed for Egypt, with their journey up the Suez Canal delayed by a Turkish attack near Kantara.
On arrival at Alexandria they were trained to Cairo, and camped on the Heliopolis aerodrome on the outskirts of Cairo. There the battalion changed its configuration from six rifle companies to four. On 11 Apr 1915 the battalion travelled by train to Alexandria and boarded HMT Haida Pascha, a captured German ship. They arrived in Mudross harbour late on the 15th. entering the harbour next morning.
At noon on 25 April their ship set out for the Gallipoli Peninsula, and they were landed late that afternoon, with A Company and Battalion HQ the first ashore. On Gallipoli Victor received an injury to his left knee necessitating evacuation on 23 May 1915 to HMHS Dunluce Castle, and then to 2nd General Hospital in Cairo (31 May 1915) to have a growth removed.
He rejoined his unit on 28 Jul 1915 where they were in reserve. On 30 Aug 1915 he was treated by 4th Field Ambulance for gastro enteritis, and evacuated to Mudross, and onwards to Cairo with HMHS Gloucester Castle.
Returned to Gallipoli a third time on HMT Royal George, he arrived via Mudross West on 8 Dec 1915. Following the withdrawal to Egypt and subsequent reorganisation of the Australian Imperial Forces, he travelled with his battalion from Alexandria to Marseilles on the HMT Canada arriving 9 Jun 1916.
Promoted to Lance Corporal on 11 Sep 1916; then Corporal on 28 Oct 1916 and finally Lance Sergeant on 5 Mar 1917, the later as they prepared to re-enter the front lines.
Eye witness report on his death on 9 Apr 1917.
"Of A Coy 1st Platoon. On the night of 9th April 1917 these 3 men were sleeping in a dugout at the railway cutting towards Reincourt, but in front of the Hindenburg Line. Shell burst, and buried them. They were dug out as soon as possible, but all 3 were dead. It was impossible to bury them at that time."
However, Victor's records simply list him as one of the 14 Officers and 613 Enlisted who were casualties on the 11th April resulting from the attack on the Hindenburg Line between Bullecourt and Reincourt.
He was mentioned in The Drill of the Foot-Hills 1917 Feb-Mar edition, but no detail.
Post War
Mother received a pension of 30/- fortnightly from 1 Jul 1917.
In May 1919 his parents still hold hopes that he is alive, and think they can see his likeness in a photo of Australian soldiers taken at Longleat Hall in 1917. It took them some time to accept that he was not going to return.
Notes