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Henry James Marsh
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 03/10/1896 |
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Place of birth: Wynnum, Queensland, Australia |
General information
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Last known residence: Tingal Rd., Wynnum, Queensland., Australia |
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Profession: Railway Employee |
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Religion: Church of England |
Army information
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Country: Australia |
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Force: Australian Imperial Force |
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Rank: Private Signaller |
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Service number: 3174 |
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Enlistment date: 19/04/1916 |
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Enlistment place: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
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Units: — Australian Infantry, 47th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 12/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Dash Crossing, Broodseinde, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 21 |
Cemetery
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Tyne Cot Cemetery Plot: III. Row: A. Grave: 8. |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 2
| #1 | Enlistment place | ||
| #2 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Henry James Marsh was born Oct. 3, 1896, in Wynnum, the son of John Marsh and Ellen Richardson Marsh. On April 19, 1916, he reported for military service; he already had some military experience. Three years as a cadet and two more as a member of the Australian Light Horse. Henry served with the 47th Bn. Australian Infantry, part of the 12th Australian Brigade, 4th Australian Division. On December 22, 1916, he left the Australian mainland.
On January 14, 1917, he described in his diary his thoughts regarding his imminent departure for the front. ' Anyhow I am looking forward in the future to seeing Wynnum and my parents after I have done my duty at the front. In camp at Enoggera is a splendid life to be at: he can go where he likes, but when once you leave for the front you are tied down to orders, now one has to be a dinkum soldier, I can see how it is one doesn't want to enlist, but I do not dislike the game, I am only giving you the idea of the whole concern so far as I have seen of it.' On Sept. 6, 1917, he joined his unit in France, where he would serve for just over a month.
The 4th Australian Division participated in the First Battle of Passchendaele, part of the Third Battle of Ypres that had been in progress since July 31, 1917. The 4th Australian Division's objective on October 12, 1917, was to advance over the Broodseinde ridge to Keiberg Spur to flank the 3rd Division which was advancing north of the railroad toward Passchendaele. The 47th Battalion was given the task of capturing and holding the red line. This ran roughly from the railroad embankment to Assyria. Then the 48th Battalion would continue the attack.
The attack faced immediate setbacks. The soldiers were tired from marching through the mud. The battalion headquarters, located in a bunker on the Broodseinde ridge, was also hit. Nearly all the signalmen and couriers had become casualties, making further communications more difficult. One of the casualties was Henry James Marsh; he was killed instantly.
The Germans retreated, but once the 48th Battalion advanced they faced heavy German fire from Vienna Cottage. This was in the 3rd Division's sector, but heavy resistance had prevented them from advancing. The German position at Vienna Cottage was eliminated, but finally, for lack of support, 47th and 48th Battalions had to retreat to their starting positions. Both battalions lost a total of nearly 1,000 soldiers.
Henry James Marsh was temporarily buried between Dash Crossing and Defy Crossing, near the railroad embankment. He currently rests at Tyne Cot Cemetery. He lived to be 21 years old.
On January 14, 1917, he described in his diary his thoughts regarding his imminent departure for the front. ' Anyhow I am looking forward in the future to seeing Wynnum and my parents after I have done my duty at the front. In camp at Enoggera is a splendid life to be at: he can go where he likes, but when once you leave for the front you are tied down to orders, now one has to be a dinkum soldier, I can see how it is one doesn't want to enlist, but I do not dislike the game, I am only giving you the idea of the whole concern so far as I have seen of it.' On Sept. 6, 1917, he joined his unit in France, where he would serve for just over a month.
The 4th Australian Division participated in the First Battle of Passchendaele, part of the Third Battle of Ypres that had been in progress since July 31, 1917. The 4th Australian Division's objective on October 12, 1917, was to advance over the Broodseinde ridge to Keiberg Spur to flank the 3rd Division which was advancing north of the railroad toward Passchendaele. The 47th Battalion was given the task of capturing and holding the red line. This ran roughly from the railroad embankment to Assyria. Then the 48th Battalion would continue the attack.
The attack faced immediate setbacks. The soldiers were tired from marching through the mud. The battalion headquarters, located in a bunker on the Broodseinde ridge, was also hit. Nearly all the signalmen and couriers had become casualties, making further communications more difficult. One of the casualties was Henry James Marsh; he was killed instantly.
The Germans retreated, but once the 48th Battalion advanced they faced heavy German fire from Vienna Cottage. This was in the 3rd Division's sector, but heavy resistance had prevented them from advancing. The German position at Vienna Cottage was eliminated, but finally, for lack of support, 47th and 48th Battalions had to retreat to their starting positions. Both battalions lost a total of nearly 1,000 soldiers.
Henry James Marsh was temporarily buried between Dash Crossing and Defy Crossing, near the railroad embankment. He currently rests at Tyne Cot Cemetery. He lived to be 21 years old.
Sources 5
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Australian Red Cross Wounded and Missing Enquiry Bureau (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), RCDIG1064166). https://www.awm.gov.au Sources used |
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Deayton Craig , Battle Scarred: the 47th Battalion in the First World War (Newport Big Sky publishing Ltd, 2011).156-188. Sources used |
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First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920 (National Archives of Australia, Canberra (NAA), B2455, Marsh, Henry James). https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/ Sources used |
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Marsh letter diary, 14 January-2 March 1917 (State Library of New South Wales collection of World War I diaries, MLDOC 2475). https://archival.sl.nsw.gov.au/ Sources used |
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McCarthy, Chris. Passchendaele: The Day by Day Account (Londen: Arms & Armour Press, 2018), 129-132. Sources used |
More information 4
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=ebd1920e-67bd-4b72-b854-14dc09f438eb |
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/463886 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/7571797 |
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The AIF Project (UNSW Canberra) https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=188019 |