Edwin Reed Marshall

Edwin Reed Marshall

Ancestry
Personal Information
Date of Birth	12 Feb 1920
Place of Birth	Armadale, Western Australia
Description	5'9" (1.75m) tall ; ; fair complexion ; blue eyes ; fair hair ; circular scar on right forearm
Occupation	Wood cutter
Religion	Church of England
Address	c/- Post Office North Dandalup
Next of Kin	Father , Mr. Oliver Marshall
Military Information
Reg Number	WX3757
Date of Enlistment	1 Jun 1940
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	2/16th Australian Infantry Battalion
Military Movement
1st Departure from Australia
Journey Dates	25 Oct 1940 ‒ 4 Nov 1940
Transport Details	HMT Aquitania Fremantle to Bombay
Transfers
Journey Dates	10 Nov 1940 ‒ 25 Nov 1040
Transport Details	HMT Rajula Bombay to Kantara, Egypt
Return to Australia
Journey Dates	30 Jan 1942 ‒ 6 Feb 1942
Transport Details	SS Île de France El Kantara to Bombay
Journey Dates	9 Feb 1942 ‒ 23 Mar 1942
Transport Details	SS Kosciusko Bombay to Adelaide
2nd Departure from Australia
Journey Dates	6 Aug 1942 ‒ 13 Aug 1942
Transport Details	SS James Fenimore Cooper Brisbane to Port Moresby
Return to Australia
Journey Dates	21 Jan 1943 ‒ 23 Jan 1943
Transport Details	USAT Jason Lee Port Moresby to Cairns
3rd Departure from Australia
Journey Dates	31 Oct 1943 ‒ 4 Nov 1943
Transport Details	HMT Katoomba Townsville to Port Moresby
Return to Australia
Journey Dates	15 Feb 1944 ‒ 20 Feb 1944
Transport Details	SS Ormiston Port Moresby to Brisbane
4th Departure from Australia
Journey Dates	2 Jun 1945 ‒ 9 Jun 1945
Transport Details	USS General Anderson (AP - 111) Townsville to Morotai
Transfers
Journey Dates	21 Jun 1945 ‒ 1 Jul 1945
Transport Details	HMAS Manoora Morotai to Balikpapan
Return to Australia
Journey Dates	7 Nov 1945 ‒ 14 Nov 1945
Transport Details	SS Cheshire Balikpapan to Fremantle
Post War Details
Fate	Returned to Australia
Medals	1939-45 Star Africa Star Pacific Star Defence Medal War Medal 1939-45 Australian Service Medal 1939-45

War Service

Edwin enlisted on 1 Jun 1940, and at the time of enlistment, Edwin was living at North Dandalup. On 17 Jun 1940, at Northam Camp, he returned from 17 days of leave without pay to be transferred to the 2/16th Australian Infantry Battalion. On 11 Jul 1940 Edwin was charged with Conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline in that he was on parade with a pocket button missing. He was awarded 3 days Confined to Barracks. From 27 Sep 1941 until 3 Oct 1941 he was granted pre-embarkation leave. He was charged on 14 Oct 1940 with having been AWOL from midnight 13 Oct until 9:30am on 14 Oct 1941. Deducted a day's pay, he was also awarded 7 days Confined to Barracks.

In Fremantle on 25 Oct 1940 the battalion boarded HMT Aquitania for Bombay disembarking on 4 Nov 1940. After a short stay in the Deolali Camp they embarked on HMT Rajula on 10 Nov 1940 for Kantara where they disembarked on 25 Nov 1940. The battalion was then sent by train to Al Majdal in Palestine to complete its training. On 6 Jan 1941 Edwin was admitted to the 2/1st Australian General Hospital with mumps, released back to his unit on 9 Feb 1941. They spent April and May on the Egypt- Libya boarder before moving back to Palestine to participate in the 6 week offence against the Vichy French forces in Syria. On 3 Jul 1941 Edwin was admitted to the 2/7th Australian General Hospital with a Boil on his right arm. he was discharged on 11 Jul 1941 to the 21st Australian Infantry Training Battalion who detached him to the Armoured Training Regiment until 26 Jul 1941. On 6 Aug 1941 he rejoined the 2/16th Battalion, but soon after (27 Aug 1941) he was again needing medical assistance, this time for a Septic Abscess on his right hand. Admitted to the 1st ACRS on 27 Aug, he was transferred to the 2/3rd Australian Casualty Clearing Station on 24 Sep 1941, and then on 27 Sep 1941 to the 2/13th Australian Field Ambulance. On 6 Oct 1941 Edwin returned to the battalion.

On 29 Jan 1942, Edwin embarked aboard SS Île de France at Port Tewfik for Bombay where they disembarked on 6 Feb 1942. Following a brief period in barracks they boarded SS Kosciusko on 9 Feb 1942 for Java. However, the rapid Japanese advance caused them to sail for Australia, reaching Adelaide on 25 Mar 1942. On 26 Jun 1942 Edwin was charged with having, "without reasonable excuse allowed a prisoner to escape whom it was his duty to guard. For this he was fined 5/- ($0.50).

With the Japanese advancing in New Guinea, on 6 Aug 1942 the battalion embarked in Brisbane aboard the SS James Fenimore Cooper for Port Moresby where they disembarked on 13 Aug 1942. By 29 Aug 1942 the battalion had advanced up the Kokoda track to engage the Japanese invaders at Abuari and over the next period fought a series of bloody batles. On 11 Sep 1942 Edwin was evacuated to the Infectious Diseases Hospital for treatment for dysentery before being discharged to the 113th Australian Convalescent Depot on 16 Sep 1942. On 26 Sep 1942 Edwin rejoined his battalion. On 13 Oct 1942 Edwin was evacuated to the 2/2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station with a fever, and on 17 Oct 1942 he was transferred to the 113th Australian Convalescent Depot until 7 Nov 1942 when he rejoined the battalion.

On 21 Jan 1943 Edwin boarded the USAT Jason Lee in Port Moresby for Cairns, disembarking on 23 Jan 1943. On 26 Jan 1943 Edwin was admitted to the 2/2nd Australian General Hospital with Malaria, returning to duty on 10 Feb 1943. Granted leave he was placed on Train No 14 which travelled to Perth via Kyogle, arriving on 28 Feb 1943. Granted leave, he was admitted to 110th Australian Base Hospital on 5 Mar 1943, returning to the balance of his leave on 10 Mar 1943. However, the following day he was again hospitalised, this time in Merredin to the 2/1st Australian General Hospital until 31 Mar 1943 when he again was discharged in order to enjoy leave. On 22 Apr 1943 Edwin was again in 110th Australian Base Hospital, before being released on 9 May 1943 to the Western Command Recruit Reception & General Details Depot. On 29 May 1943 he began the journey to Queensland where his unit was rebuilding.

On 15 Jun 1943 he rejoined his battalion, but a fortnight later on 29 Jun 1943 he was admitted to the 109th Australian Casualty Clearing Station to be treated for Malaria, and the next day he was admitted to the 2/6th Australian General Hospital. In turn they released him to the 2/1st Australian Convalescent Depot on 17 Jul 1943. On 26 Aug 1943 Edwin was charged with having been found beyond limits fixed by Camp Standing orders for which he was fined 10/- ($1), and on 5 Sep 1943 he was admitted to the 2/14th Australian General Hospital with Malaria. Released to the 13th Australian Personnel Staging Camp on 26 Sep 1943, he was re-admitted to the hospital from 11 - 26 Oct 1943.

Edwin was embarked on HMT Katoomba in Townsville on 31 Oct 1943 for Port Moresby where he disembarked on 4 Nov 1943. The following day he was taken back on strength by the 2/16th Battalion. However, on 5 Dec 1943 Edwin was admitted to the 4th Australian Field Ambulance with Malaria, and on 7 Dec 1943 they transferred him to the 111th Australian Casualty Clearing Station. On 20 Dec 1943 he was judged to be fit enough to return to his unit, and the battalion embarked in Port Moresby aboard SS Ormiston on 15 Feb 1944 for Brisbane where they disembarked on 20 Feb 1944. Granted home leave of 24 days, on 14 Apr 1944 Edwin was admitted to the 110th Australian Base Hospital with Malaria. On 21 Apr 1944 he was transferred to the 118th Australian General Hospital returning to the balance of his leave on 1 May 1944.

Returned to his unit, on 2 Jun 1945 in Townsville he embarked on USS General Anderson (AP - 111) for Morotai where the battalion disembarked on 10 Jun 1945. On 1 Jul 1945 the battalion landed at Balikpapan from the HMAS Manoora, and undertook patrol duties until the war ended on 15 August. On 7 Nov 1945 Edwin embarked on SS Cheshire for Fremantle, disembarking on 14 Nov 1945. Posted to Western Command Recruit Reception & General Details Depot's Discharge Section, he was discharged on 28 Nov 1945. Edwin spent 966 days on active duty outside of Australia.