Pte
Thomas Francis Marney
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1898 |
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Place of birth: Terang, Victoria, Australia |
General information
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Last known residence: Ararat, Victoria, Australia |
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Profession: Station Hand - Farm Hand |
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Religion: Roman Catholic |
Army information
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Country: Australia |
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Force: Australian Imperial Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 2448 |
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Enlistment date: 29/06/1916 |
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Enlistment place: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
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Units: — Australian Infantry, 37th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 12/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Waterfields, Passchendaele, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 19 |
Cemetery
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Tyne Cot Cemetery Plot: XX Row: B Grave: 2 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 4
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Last known residence | ||
| #3 | Enlistment place | ||
| #4 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Thomas Francis Marney was the son of William Walter and Catherina Marney. He was born around 1898 in Terang, Victoria. Before the war, he lived in Ararat, Victoria, and worked as a farm labourer. Thomas enlisted in the Australian Army and served in the 37th Battalion Australian Infantry Regiment (10th Brigade, 3rd Division).
Thomas was killed on 12 October 1917 during the First Battle of Passchendaele, part of the Battle of Passchendaele. The 37th Battalion launched its attack in front of Augustus Wood with the objective of advancing to Crest Farm. At 5:25 a.m. the assault began. Artillery and machine-gun fire during the advance was intense. Pillboxes were attacked and German soldiers were taken prisoner. The battalion reached its objective but could not consolidate. The unit therefore withdrew about 50 yards and dug in under machine-gun fire.
The shelling of the battalion headquarters, which was located at Hamburg Farm, was also heavy. The remaining officers and men in the front line established new positions about 100 yards further back. Stretcher-bearers were busy evacuating the wounded, a difficult task: not only did the state of the ground hinder evacuation, but constant shelling of the aid post near Dab Trench also made the provision of first aid difficult. The stretcher-bearers themselves were not safe from the bombardments.
The captured line could be held, and a connection was made with the New Zealanders on their left and the 9th Australian Brigade on their right. There were no further German attempts to launch a counterattack. Casualties were high: 28 killed, 179 wounded, and 37 missing.
Thomas was killed at the age of 19. According to his service record, his body was buried about 300 yards south of Waterfields. After the war, his body was found near Waterfields. His remains were reburied at Tyne Cot Cemetery, where he found his final resting place.
Thomas was killed on 12 October 1917 during the First Battle of Passchendaele, part of the Battle of Passchendaele. The 37th Battalion launched its attack in front of Augustus Wood with the objective of advancing to Crest Farm. At 5:25 a.m. the assault began. Artillery and machine-gun fire during the advance was intense. Pillboxes were attacked and German soldiers were taken prisoner. The battalion reached its objective but could not consolidate. The unit therefore withdrew about 50 yards and dug in under machine-gun fire.
The shelling of the battalion headquarters, which was located at Hamburg Farm, was also heavy. The remaining officers and men in the front line established new positions about 100 yards further back. Stretcher-bearers were busy evacuating the wounded, a difficult task: not only did the state of the ground hinder evacuation, but constant shelling of the aid post near Dab Trench also made the provision of first aid difficult. The stretcher-bearers themselves were not safe from the bombardments.
The captured line could be held, and a connection was made with the New Zealanders on their left and the 9th Australian Brigade on their right. There were no further German attempts to launch a counterattack. Casualties were high: 28 killed, 179 wounded, and 37 missing.
Thomas was killed at the age of 19. According to his service record, his body was buried about 300 yards south of Waterfields. After the war, his body was found near Waterfields. His remains were reburied at Tyne Cot Cemetery, where he found his final resting place.
Sources 4
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37th Australian Infantry Battalion, (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM4 23/54/16). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used |
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First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920 (National Archives of Australia, Canberra (NAA), B2455 MARNEY T F). https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/ Sources used |
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McCarthy, Chris. Passchendaele: The Day by Day Account (Londen: Arms & Armour Press, 1995), 129-130. Sources used |
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Unit embarkation nominal rolls, 1914-18 War (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM8). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used |
More information 4
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/463882 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=30e94206-e9ac-4b0d-8781-40debdc5e889 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/7615574 |
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The AIF Project (UNSW Canberra) https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=187659 |