MARRIOTT, Thomas Oliver Hales
| Service Number: | 4820 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 43rd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Balaklava, South Australia, 3 July 1898 |
| Home Town: | Balaklava, Wakefield, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 1 September 1918, aged 20 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Balaklava District WW1 Roll of Honour, Balaklava WW1 & WW2 Honour Roll, Balaklava WW1 & WW2 Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial (Australian National Memorial - France) |
World War 1 Service
| 23 Jun 1917: | Involvement Private, 4820, 32nd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Borda embarkation_ship_number: A30 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 23 Jun 1917: | Embarked Private, 4820, 32nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Borda, Adelaide | |
| 1 Sep 1918: | Involvement Private, 4820, 43rd Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 4820 awm_unit: 43rd Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1918-09-01 |
Help us honour Thomas Oliver Hales Marriott's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Paul Lemar
Thomas was the youngest son of Samuel Thomas MARRIOTT & Ellen MILL and was born on the 3rd of July 1898 in Balaklava.
His father was the son of Oliver MARRIOTT & Sarah Chamberlain HALES and was born on the 23rd of July 1852 aboard the ship “China”, on route to South Australia.
His mother died from heart failure on the 9th of July 1998, just 6 days after giving birth to him.
His father remarried to Annie BUSBRIDGE on the 12th of February 1901 at her father’s residence, James BUSBRIDGE in Gawler.
Annie was the daughter of James BUSBRIDGE & Jane WEEKS and was born on the 24th of July 1870 in Gawler.
Annie had previously given birth to two son’s;
Reginald James BUSBRIDGE, on the 21st of April 1892 in Balaklava. Reginald’s birth certificate registered his father as “James FITZGERALD”.
Clarence Wilfred BUSBRIDGE, on the 14th of December 1894 in Balaklava. There is no father recorded on his birth certificate.
His father and stepmother welcomed their first child; Hector Mervyn Bruce into the family on the 2nd of August 1902, followed by Kenneth Francis, on the 20th of July 1904 in Balaklava.
His stepbrother; Clarence enlisted into the 10th Battalion, 2nd Reinforcements on the 30th of November 1914
His stepbrother; Reginald enlisted into the 48th Battalion in Adelaide on the 12th of April 1916. He was allotted the service number 5666.
Whilst Reginald and Clarence were overseas fighting, Thomas enlisted into the 32nd Battalion, 13th Reinforcements on the 22nd of February 1917 in Balaklava and was allotted the service number 4820. He listed his father; Samuel, as next of kin.
Thomas was only 18 years of age when he enlisted, but he had gained permission from his father. Thomas was employed as a butter makers assistant. He made his will out to his stepmother, Annie.
His stepbrother; Reginald was killed in France just 14 days before Thomas was to embark.
Thomas embarked from Adelaide, on board the HMAT A30 Borda on the 23rd of June 1917
The unit was entrained at the 8th Training Battalion, Hurdcott, Wiltshire
On the 8th of December 1917 he was transferred to the 43rd Battalion, D Company and proceeded overseas to France.
The battalion spent much of 1918 fighting in the Somme valley. In April they helped stop the German Spring offensive at Villers-Bretonneux. In July the battalion was part of General Monash's attack at Hamel. In August they helped drive the Germans back to the Hindenburg Line.
The battalion was at Clery sur Somme. They left Hindleg Wood at 10pm, marching to Scutari Trench, arriving at 5am on the morning of the 1st of September 1918.
The battalion came under heavy fire and Thomas was wounded badly in the neck and then hit by shell fire on the lower part of his body. His body was last seen on the field at Allanes, near Mont St Quentin, 2 days later. The burial party were on the ground and it was presumed they reached his body for burial
However, his body was never recovered and he has no known grave.
Thomas died on the 1st of September 1918