TANSEY, Martin
| Service Number: | 5157 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 4 December 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 19th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Redfern, New South Wales, Australia , 4 December 1915 |
| Home Town: | Alexandria, City of Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer, Railways |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 27 February 1917, aged 1 year |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 4 Dec 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 5157, 19th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Jul 1916: | Involvement Private, 5157, 19th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '13' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Ajana embarkation_ship_number: A31 public_note: '' | |
| 5 Jul 1916: | Embarked Private, 5157, 19th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ajana, Sydney |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by John Oakes
Martin TANSEY was born on 20th May 1888 at Redfern in Sydney. His parents were Martin and Ellen Tansey. On 22nd February 1912 he gained employment with the NSW Goverment Railways and Tramways Locomotive Branch as a labourer based at Eveleigh. On 6th May 1914 his position, and duties, changed to outdoor labourer but on 14 July 1915 he reverted to labourer. On 4th December 1915 he was released to join the Expeditionary Forces.
He joined the AIF on 4th December 1915 with the rank of Private (Service Number 5157). Initially he was posted to the 11th Reinforcements to the 19th Infantry Battalion but on 23rd May 1916 his posting was changed to the 13th Reinforcements to the same battalion. For his next of kin, he nominated his mother. At the time he enlisted the family was living in Henderson Rd, Alexandria in Sydney.
He embarked for England aboard HMAT A31 ‘Ajana’ at Sydney on 5th July 1916 and disembarked at Plymouth on 31 August 1916. He proceeded directly to the 5th Training Battalion at Rollestone (England) where he was taken on strength on 1st September 1916. He was allowed at least one leave break while he was based at Rollestone but was 35 hours late when he returned at 11am on 13th September 1916. For being Absent Without Leave he forfeited eight days pay. On 2nd November 1916 he left England for France and marched in to the 2nd Australian Division Base Depot at Etaples on 3rd November 1916. He marched out from there on 16th November 1916 and was taken on strength of the 19th Infantry Battalion on 19th November 1916. This was three days after the battalion finished an attack near Flers in France.
On 10th December 1916, Martin was admitted to the 39th Casualty Clearing Station with gonorrhoea. The next day, 11th December 1916, he was transferred to an ambulance train which conveyed him to the 51st General Hospital at Etaples where he was admitted on 15th December 1916. He was in hospital for over a month before he was discharged to the 2nd Australian Division Base Depot at Etaples on 20th January 1917.
On 19th February 1917 he re-joined his unit. Just over a week later, on 27th February 1917, he was killed in action in France during an advance from Le Sars towards Bapaume.
A document in Martin’s military record indicates he was buried in an isolated grave just north-east of Le Sars, about five kilometres south-west of Bapaume. However, the site of his grave could not be identified subsequently, and he is commemorated at the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France. His place of association is Alexandria, Sydney, NSW.
After his death his mother was granted a pension of £2 per fortnight with effect from 22nd May 1917.
- based on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll and notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board.