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{{Infobox
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{{infobox soldier
| name           = Claude Robert Marsh
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| image           = [[File:Marsh_Claude_Robert.jpg|border|400px]]
 
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| caption         = Birtwistle Local Studies Library PH055
| title          =
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| image2         = [[File:Marsh_Claude_&_Hartland_Richards_Poland.jpg|border|400px]]
| above          =
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| caption2       = Claude (front) and Hartland Richards as POWs in Poland - Courtesy Alison Wholagan
| subheader      =
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| dateofbirth   = 03 August 1897
 
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| placeofbirth   = Kelmscott, Western Australia
 
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| death           = 23 Oct 1976, aged 79
|  image        = [[File:Marsh_Claude_Robert.jpg|border|400px]]
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| placeofdeath   = Armadale, Western Australia
| caption       = Birtwistle Local Studies Library PH055
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| enlistmentage   = 18 years, 7 months
|   image2       = [[File:Marsh_Claude_&_Hartland_Richards_Poland.jpg|border|400px]]
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| description   = 5' 9½" (1.77m) tall; weight 135 lbs (61.2 kg); dark complexion, brown eyes, dark brown hair
| caption2       = Claude (front) and Hartland Richards as POWs in Poland - Courtesy Alison Wholagan
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| height          = 5' 9½" (1.77m)
 
+
| weight          = 135 lbs
|headerstyle  = background:#ccf;
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| complexion      = dark
|labelstyle   = background:#ddf;
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| eyes            = brown
|datastyle    =
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| hair            = dark brown
 
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| descriptionnote =
| header1  = Personal Information
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| occupation   = Farm hand
 
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| religion   = Church of England
|  label2  = Date of Birth
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| address   = Armadale, Western Australia
|  data2  = 03 August 1897
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| relation   = Father
 
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| nextofkin      = Mr Robert George Marsh
|  label3  = Place of Birth
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| regnumber   = [https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=8214981 6553]
data3  = Kelmscott, Western Australia
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| enlistmentdate = 13 Apr 1916
 
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| rank           = Private
| label4  = Death
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| unit      = 16th Battalion, 21st Reinforcement assigned to B Company / 4th Brigade, 4th Division
|  data4  = 23 Oct 1976, aged 79
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| embarkationdatefrom = 13 Oct 1916  
 
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| embarkationdateto = 12 Dec 1916
|  label5  = Place of Death
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| shipembarked   = [[HMAT A23 Suffolk]]
data5  = Armadale, Western Australia
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| embarkedshipnote =
 
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| embarkationdatefrom2 =
|  label6  = Age at Enlistment
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| embarkationdateto2 =  
data6  = 18 years, 7 months
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| shipembarked2   =
 
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| embarkedshipnote2 =
|  label7  = Description
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| dateofreturnfrom = 31 Mar 1919  
data7  = 5' 9½" (1.77m) tall; weight 135 lbs (61.2 kg); dark complexion, brown eyes, dark brown hair
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| dateofreturnto = 24 May 1919
 
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| shipreturned    = [[SS Khyber]]
| label8  = Occupation
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| shipreturnednote =
|   data8  = farm hand
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| dateofreturnfrom2 =
 
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| dateofreturnto2 =  
| label9  = Religion
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| shipreturned2    =
data9  = Church of England
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| shipreturnednote2 =
 
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| fate1           = Missing in Action, later Prisoner of War 11 Apr 1917
|  label10  = Address
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| fate2          = Returned to Australia
data10  = Armadale, Western Australia
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| fate3          =
 
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| fate4          =
| label11 = Next of Kin
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| monument1   = [[Armadale War Memorial]]  
|   data11 = Father  Mr Robert George Marsh
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| monumentnote1  = (West Armadale panel)
 
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| monument2   = [[Armadale Congregational Church Honour Board]]
| header12 = Military Information
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| monumentnote2  =
 
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| monument3   = [[Armadale and Districts Roll of Honour]]
|  label13 = Reg Number
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| monumentnote3  =
data13 = [https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=8214981 6553]
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| monument4   =
 
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| monumentnote4  =
label14 = Date of Enlistment
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| monument5   =
|  data14 = 13 Apr 1916
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| monumentnote5  =
 
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| monument6   =
| label15 = Rank
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| monumentnote6  =
|  data15 = Private
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| monumentawm    =
 
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| monumentawmnote =
|  label16 = Unit/Formation
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| monumentother  =
|   data16 = 16th Battalion, 21st Reinforcement assigned to B Company / 4th Brigade, 4th Division
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| monumentothernote =
 
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| medal1   = [[British War Medal]]
|  label17 = Date of Embarkation
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| medal2          = [[Victory Medal]]
|   data17 = 13 Oct 1916 - 12 Dec 1916
+
| medal3          =
 
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| medal4          =
|  label18 = Ship Embarked On
 
data18 = [[HMAT A23 Suffolk]]
 
 
 
| label19 = Date of Return
 
data19 = 31 Mar 1919 - 24 May 1919
 
 
 
label20 = Ship Returned On
 
|   data20 = [[SS Khyber]]
 
 
 
label21 = Fate
 
|   data21 = Missing in Action, later Prisoner of War 11 Apr 1917<br />Returned to Australia
 
 
 
| label22 = Monument
 
data22 = [[Armadale War Memorial]] (West Armadale panel)<br />[[Armadale Congregational Church Honour Board]]<br />[[Armadale and Districts Roll of Honour]]
 
 
 
| label23 = Medals
 
data23 = [[British War Medal]]<br />[[Victory Medal]]
 
 
 
 
}}
 
}}
  

Revision as of 16:26, 13 September 2018

Claude Robert Marsh
Marsh Claude Robert.jpg
Birtwistle Local Studies Library PH055
Marsh Claude & Hartland Richards Poland.jpg
Claude (front) and Hartland Richards as POWs in Poland - Courtesy Alison Wholagan
Personal Information
Date of Birth 03 August 1897
Place of Birth Kelmscott, Western Australia
Death 23 Oct 1976, aged 79
Place of Death Armadale, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment 18 years, 7 months
Description 5' 9½" (1.77m) tall ; 135 lbs
61.235 kg
; dark complexion ; brown eyes ; dark brown hair
Occupation Farm hand
Religion Church of England
Address Armadale, Western Australia
Next of Kin Father , Mr Robert George Marsh
Military Information
Reg Number 6553
Date of Enlistment 13 Apr 1916
Rank Private
Unit/Formation 16th Battalion, 21st Reinforcement assigned to B Company / 4th Brigade, 4th Division
Date of Embarkation 13 Oct 1916 ‒ 12 Dec 1916
Ship Embarked On HMAT A23 Suffolk
Date of Return 31 Mar 1919 ‒ 24 May 1919
Ship Returned On SS Khyber
Fate Missing in Action, later Prisoner of War 11 Apr 1917
Returned to Australia
Monument Armadale War Memorial (West Armadale panel)
Armadale Congregational Church Honour Board
Armadale and Districts Roll of Honour
Medals British War Medal
Victory Medal



Pre War

War Service

Claude entered Blackboy Hill on 13 Apr 1916 and on 1 May was allocated to the 21st reinforcement draft for the 16th Battalion. After six months training in Australia he embarked for England, and on arrival there was sent to the 4th Training Battalion in the Rolleston district.

On 8 Feb 1917 he proceeded overseas to France from Folkestone on the HMT Princess Victoria. Five days later he joined the 16th Battalion in Albury Camp near Bazentin, south east of Poziéres. March 1917 was spent regrouping and training before a move back to the front lines occurred in early April with the intention of attacking the Hindenburg Line.

Following several changes of plans, and failure of the tanks to arrive in time for an attack on 10 April, the attack on the OG1 and OG2 trenches between Bullecourt and Reincourt took place early on 11 Apr 1917. Despite a complete lack of artillery and tank support the Australians captured parts of their objectives, but were eventually forced back, taking very heavy losses. Over 1,000 were captured when they ran out of ammunition or were surrounded by the Germans, who in the absence of artillery, had moved up reinforcements.

Claude was one of those captured near Reincourt after his Company Commander was killed. The early days of captivity were bleak with the prisoners kept close to the front lines restoring roads and carrying out other works behind the German front line.

Interned at Limburg, Germany, he was later transferred to Friedrichsfeld and then Schneidemuhl in Prussia where he worked first on forestry work and then as a farmhand on a farm owned by a German Sergeant of Polish ethnicity. [1].

Repatriated to England via Danzig on 18 Dec 1918.

Discharged 5th Military District 7 Aug 1919. See separate publication "A Guest of the Kaiser" for the story of his time as a POW.

Casualty List 299 includes C.R. Marsh of Armadale as Missing.[2]

Casualty List 334 corrects this to advise he was a prisoner of war.[3]


Post War

Electoral Roll entries - 1925 Rowley road, Armadale, a labourer; 1943 an Agent, living in Fourth road, Armadale (no 21) where he remained until his death.

During WW2 he served from 30 Nov 1940 until 2 Jan 1942 in the Militia (5th Garrison Battalion) as a lance Corporal with Regimental No W31832.


References

  1. "Australian Red Cross Wounded and Missing Files - Claude Robert Marsh". Australian War Memorial. 2018. Retrieved 2 May 2018. 
  2. "WESTERN AUSTRALIA.". The West Australian. XXXIII, (4,720). Western Australia. 19 May 1917. p. 7. Retrieved 20 July 2017 – via National Library of Australia. 
  3. "WESTERN AUSTRALIA.". The West Australian. XXXIII, (4,810). Western Australia. 1 September 1917. p. 7. Retrieved 20 July 2017 – via National Library of Australia. 

External Links