Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Stanley Noel Marsden was born on the 20th November, 1896 and was twenty one years old when he enlisted for the Great War, on the 13th of November, 1917 in Sydney, New South Wales. He lived at 260 Church Street, Parramatta, NSW. His mother, Emma Murray Marsden was his next of kin. Stanley’s siblings were Albert, Thomas, Ella, Arcas and Doris. Stanley’s service number was 2628.

Before Stanley enlisted, he was an apprentice with Clyde Engineering Works and he was a turner and fitter. Stanley's religion was Church of England.

He was in the Australian Flying Corps (AFC) and was sent to Wendover, England.  And in the AFC his service number was 2828 and he became the second Air Mechanic and under the unit name ‘Special Draft 2’. On the 22nd December, 1917 he embarked at Melbourne on (HMAT) His Majesty’s Australian Transport ‘Ulysses’ and disembarked at Southhampton on the 13th February, 1918.

‘Stanley was described as a pleasant but very quiet young man who had never been far from home before his posting to Halton. Links with home and his mother were very important to him.’- Wendover News April 1918

He died on Friday the 5th of April, 1918. According to the Coroner, he commited suicide by being knocked down from a train at Wendover, King and Queen Hotel, near Balcome Bridge at 4.30pm; the finding was “That the deceased commited suicide whilst of unsound mind.”‘Wendover News April 1918’ Stanley’s last place was Halton camp ‘Wendover News April 1918’ ‘A witness said:“Since he had been at Halton he had frequently spoken to the deceased who had complained that he had not received any mail from home. He seemed very much depressed about it, and it worried him very much.”

He received some medals (A British War Medal and a Victory Meda) and his mother received a memorial scroll on the 6th of July, 1921 and a memorial plaque on the 24th of October, 1922 in his honour.

Stanley is buried at (St Mary) Churchyard Wendover, Buckinghamshire, England His mother had a memorial placed in Mays Hill, Parramatta, NSW. 

The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK

Died on this date - 5th April........2nd Air Mechanic Stanley Noel Marsden was born at Parramatta, Sydney, NSW in 1896. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 30th November, 1917 as a 21 year old Engineer from Parramatta.

Private Stanley Noel Marsden was transferred to Australian Flying Corps, Laverton on 13th December, 1917 & his rank was to be 2nd Air Mechanic.

Air Mechanic 2nd Class Stanley Noel Marsden embarked from Melbourne, Victoria on HMAT Ulysses (A38) on 22nd December, 1917 with the Australian Flying Corps, No. 2 Special Draft & disembarked at Suez on 16th January, 1918. He travelled through Italy with his Unit & finally arrived at Cherboug France before disembarking at Southampton, England on 13th February, 1918.

Air Mechanic 2nd Class Stanley Noel Marsden was marched in to A.F.C. (Australian Flying Corps) Training Depot at Wendover, Buckinghamshire, England on 13th February, 1918.

Air Mechanic 2nd Class Stanley Noel Marsden was found dead at 6 am on 5th April, 1918 near the railway tracks towards Wendover, near Bacome Railway Bridge. An Inquest was held & the jury found “That the deceased committed suicide whilst of unsound mind.”
Air Mechanic 2nd Class Stanley Noel Marsden was buried in St. Mary’s Churchyard, Wendover, Buckinghamshire, England.

(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below).
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/wendover.html