ROLLINS, Martin
| Service Number: | 5441 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 8 February 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 14th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Curlewis, Victoria, Australia, 1892 |
| Home Town: | Curlewis, Greater Geelong, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Farm Labourer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Messines, Belgium, 10 June 1917 |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" No known grave Panel 17, Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Flanders, Belgium |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, East Geelong War Memorial, Leopold State School Honor Roll, Leopold and District Residents Honor Roll, Menin Gate Memorial (Commonwealth Memorial to the Missing of the Ypres Salient) |
World War 1 Service
| 8 Feb 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 5441, 14th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 4 Apr 1916: | Embarked Private, 5441, 14th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Euripides, Melbourne | |
| 4 Apr 1916: | Involvement Private, 5441, 14th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '11' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Euripides embarkation_ship_number: A14 public_note: '' | |
| 20 Jul 1916: | Involvement 20 Jul 1916 - reinforcements, taken on strength ex 4th A. D. B. D. Posted to D Coy | |
| 29 Mar 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 5441, Multiple gunshot wounds | |
| 11 Apr 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 5441, 14th Infantry Battalion, Bullecourt (First) | |
| 10 Jun 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 5441, 14th Infantry Battalion, Battle of Messines | |
| 8 Feb 1918: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 5441, Enlisted at Geelong |
Help us honour Martin Rollins's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Evan Evans
From Geoff Crapper
Pte. Martin Rollins (No.5441) from Curlewis on the Bellarine Peninsula in Victoria. He was the first soldier killed from the 14th Battalion at the Battle of Messines on 10th June 1917.
The official History of the Battalion reports that, "At 9 pm (9th June 1917) the 14th moved up to the support trenches, the relief (of the New Zealanders) being completed at 4 am next morning. There was some heavy enemy shelling on the 10th, and Pte. Martin Rollins (No. 5441), one of the Headquarters runners, was blown to pieces."
A footnote goes onto say that 2 months earlier Rollins had been buried as the result of an explosion of a mine and evacuated for three days, returning in time to do fine work evacuating our wounded at Bullecourt.
On 10th June he was sitting outside Battalion Headquarters when he was killed by a direct hit from a German 5.9 inch artillery shell.
His brother Pte. Percival John Rollins (2012) 58th Bn had been killed in action earlier on 25th March 1917.
Biography contributed by Carol Foster
Son of John William and Miriam Rollins of 'Sea View', Curlewis, Victoria; brother of Percival John Rollins who was killed in action on 25 March 1917 while serving with the 58th battalion
Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal
Click images to start slideshow.