Actions

Martin Abolin

From Our Contribution

Martin Abolin
Unknown.png
Personal Information
Date of Birth Not known
Place of Birth Ippesgriw, Par Talsen, Courland, Russia
Death 8 Jun 1917
Place of Death Messines, Belgium
Age at Enlistment 24
Description 5'8" (1.73m) tall ; 150 lbs
68.039 kg
; fair complexion ; grey blue eyes ; light hair
Occupation Timber worker
Religion Protestant
Address Jarrahdale, Western Australia
Next of Kin Father , Mr Christopher Abolin
Military Information
Reg Number 1619
Date of Enlistment 22 Jan 1916
Rank Private
Unit/Formation 44th Battalion, 1st Reinforcement, to C Company / 11th Brigade, 3rd Division
Date of Embarkation 6 Jun 1916 ‒ 21 Jul 1916
Ship Embarked On HMAT A29 Suevic
Fate Killed in Action 8 Jun 1917, Messines
Monument Jarrahdale War Memorial
Jarrahdale Honour Roll
ANZAC Memorial Park (Byford)
Australian War Memorial
Medals British War Medal
Victory Medal


Pre War

War Service

Although he signed the enlistment papers on 22 Jan 1916 he didn't enter Blackboy Hill camp until 14 Feb 1916. On 1 Mar 1916 he was allocated to the 1st reinforcement draft for the 44th Battalion, and he shifted to the Claremont camp. Basic training completed he boarded teh HMAT A29 Suevic in Fremantle on 6 Jun 1916 for England.

On arrival in England he was sent to the 11th Training Battalion at Lark Hill for further training before being taken on strength of the 44th Battalion in England from the reinforcement draft on 18 Nov 1916.

Along with his unit, he arrived in France from Southampton on 25 Nov 1916. His records reveal nothing between his arrival in France and his death. We may therefore assume that he was with the battalion all of this time, as absences from the unit are always noted.

The entry for 8 Jun 1917 in the battalion's War Diary reads
"Ploegsteert 1am, Battalion moved out to take over portion of the Green Line between the La Douve River and Huns Walk on Messines Ridge. The frontage of the attack was about 1100 yards (1 km) and the battalion attacked in the following order, D Coy on the right, then A Coy, then C Coy , and B Coy on the left. The attack was very successful and we captured the green line about 4am, with slight casualties. The hanging on afterwards was, however, very severe and before the battalion was relieved we suffered about 300 casualties.
Martin was killed by artillery fire in the struggle to hold onto the ground gained. Neville Browning in his book "The Westralian Battalion" tells that
the bombardment continued well into the night without abatement. Private A. Lingwood, a 'B' Company stretcher-bearer, was struck in the head by shrapnel and killed, whilst sitting in a shell hole. Sergeant D.W. Stewart and Privates M. Abolin, A. Green, J.V. Moore, G.W.M. Scott, A.C. Welshman and E.B. Wilkins were also killed and several men were wounded before the day was through[1]
  • Bethleen Farm East Cemetery
  • Commonwealth War Graves Commission


Notes

Buried Bethleem Farm Cemetery Plot A, Grave #6, SE of Messines, France.

Next of Kin's address was care of his brother John at 1 Sophia street, Cardiff, Wales. In April 1929 the Army receied a letter on behalf of the Russian Red Cross Society in America who forwarded a claim that his sister living in the U.S.S.R. was claiming to be a (the) beneficiary of his will. This is contray to the will he made on 1 Jun 1917 which named his brother as sole beneficiary. However by 1929 his brother had apparently disappeared.

References

  1. The Westralian Battalion - The Unit History of the 44th Battalion A.I.F." Advance Press page 135

External Links