MARKS, Walter Moffitt
| Service Number: | Officer |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 25 January 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve |
| Born: | Jamberoo, New South Wales, Australia, 6 June 1875 |
| Home Town: | Paddington, Woollahra, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Sydney Grammar School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Solicitor / Politician |
| Died: | Scottish Hospital, Paddington, New South Wales, Australia, 31 March 1951, aged 75 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Waverley Cemetery, Bronte, New South Wales Vault 93A |
| Memorials: | Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club World War 1 Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 25 Jan 1915: | Enlisted British Forces (All Conflicts), Lieutenant, Officer, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Mar 1919: | Discharged British Forces (All Conflicts), Lieutenant, Officer, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, Discharge from service -- Appointment Terminated |
Help us honour Walter Moffitt Marks's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by VWM Australia
Walter Moffitt Marks
A Sydney Solicitor and Commodore of the Club 1914–21. Mr Marks was at the invitation of Sir Thomas Lipton, at sea, participating in the delivery of Shamrock 4 to New York to challenge for the America's Cup, when World War I was declared. The challenge was abandoned, and on his return to the United Kingdom, Mr Marks enlisted and on 25 January 1915 was commissioned as Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve.
He was posted to Wick in NE Scotland in command of the May Queen, a motor-driven fishing vessel chartered by the Admiralty. Four such vessels were placed under his charge to perform various duties, but principally night and day patrols in the vicinity of Invergordon and Cromarty, the second northern base of the Grand Fleet.
In June 1916, Mr Marks was posted to the Royal Naval College at Greenwich and HMS Hermione, a guard ship at Southampton and Headquarters Ship for motor launches and coastal motor boats, for instruction in gunnery and other lethal arts.
At the conclusion of his training, he was appointed to the command of ML108, a fast (21 knot) well-armed anti-submarine and patrol launch, several hundred of which were purchased from the United States. ML108 was sent to Dover with a group of 18 of her sisterships, of which unit Mr Marks was the senior Lieutenant.
Mr Marks, after being stationed for 10 months in Dover, was transferred back to Wick, where he was principally engaged in mine clearance.
After returning in 1918 from 6 months leave in Australia, he was appointed officer commanding the naval depot at Llandaff in Wales.
In March 1919, Mr Marks was, at his request, demobilised and returned to Australia.
Biography courtesy: Royal Prince Alfred Yatch Club
Click images to start slideshow.