MARCHANT, Andrew James
| Service Numbers: | 755, S70709 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 24 November 1914 |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 5th (NSW) Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps (VDC) |
| Born: | Melbourne, Victoria, 21 August 1890 |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 24 Nov 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, 755 | |
|---|---|---|
| 29 Jan 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, 755 | |
| 13 Sep 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, 755 |
World War 2 Service
| 1 May 1942: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Lieutenant, S70709, 5th (NSW) Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps (VDC) | |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Nov 1945: | Discharged Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Lieutenant, S70709, 5th (NSW) Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps (VDC) |
Help us honour Andrew James Marchant's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Woodville High School
Andrew James Marchant (male) was born on 21st of August 1890, in Melbourne, Victoria. At some stage his family moved to South Australia His next of kin, was his father, James William Marchant who lived at Yatala South Australia. His occupation had been a farmer before he enlisted at the age of 25 years old on the 24th of November, 1914.
According to his Attestation Papers Andrew James Marchant was 5'7" tall, weighed 154 lbs, and had a chest measurement of 36 inches. He had a ruddy complexion, dark brown hair, and green eyes. He enlisted at Oaklands, South Australia, on the 24th of November, 1914 having the service number of 755. The unit in which he served had been 3rd Light Horse, as a Private. He had embarked from Melbourne on the ship named ‘HMAT Mashobra A47' to serve overseas on 29 January 1915.
Life at war was challenging, with harsh conditions. On 14th of October 1915, Andrew James Marchant had been diagnosed with enteric fever which is also known as the paratyphoid fever or typhoid, admitted to an Auxiliary Hospital in Heliopolis, Egypt. This led him to get invalided back to Australia for further treatment in November 1915.
On the 23rd of June 1916, he had been re-embarked for overseas service on the ship ‘H.M.A.T. A13 Katuna’ from South Australia. He was taken on strength and marched out to the 1st Light Horse 10th August 1916 to serve in the Middle East.
In August he was again admitted to hospital with ententis remaining there unti 12th September 1916 when he rejoined his unit. By February 1917 he was sick again and needed further hospital treatment but only for a few days.His family had been notified by his health and continuously tried to contact Andrew by sending letters. His sister K. Merchant had once contacted the officers to attempt finding out any information about his whereabouts or conditions, saying that the last time she had been able to get in contact with him had been 8 months prior. However, the effort was unsuccessful as the officer responded by stating that he also had not received any detail about him. Soon after his health from the treatment had improved, giving him the ability to continue his service in Egypt.
After discharge from hospital he attended a School of Instruction to complete a Lewis Gun course to qualify as a Gunner. In early November 1917 he returned to hospital, transferred between numerous medical sites for a week until rejjoining his unit on 16th November. Two days later he was taken on strength with the 3rd Light Horse. In December 1917 Marchant was promoted to Lance Corporal followed by a promotion to Acting Corporal in March 1918. He held the higher rank for 3 months reverting to Temporary Corporal in June. He returned to a School of Instruction in August 1918.
Marchant was admitted to the 24th Stationary Hospital 26th Noember 1918 with pneumonia and was reported as being seriously ill. He remained in hospital for a few weeks and then was granted leave in March 1919 before returning to Australia late that month. He was discharged from the AIF 13th September 1919.
After Andrew James Marhcant had finished his service in World War 1, he had later enlisted to serve in World War 2. By that time he was 51 years old, and was married to Jean Audrey Marchant. On the 28th of August 1942 he was sent to a training school for Non-Commissioned Officers. H was later given an acting rank of Lieutenant.
Bibliography
-Andrew James Marchant. (2024). Awm.gov.au. [online] doi:https://doi.org/1067100/screen/5367681.
-Awm.gov.au. (2024). Andrew James Marchant. [online] Available at: https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1546437.
- Terrace, V. (2024). View digital copy. [online] Naa.gov.au. Available at: https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=8212903.
-State Library of South Australia. (2024). Andrew James Marchant. [online] Available at: https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+46130/73.
-Terrace, V. (2024). View digital copy. [online] Naa.gov.au. Available at: https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=6466
815 [Accessed 7 Dec. 2024].