James Stephen MARNER

Badge Number: S9222, Sub Branch: Enfield
S9222

MARNER , James Stephen

Service Number: 2117
Enlisted: 1 June 1916
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 39th Infantry Battalion
Born: Wirrabara, South Australia, Australia, December 1893
Home Town: Wirrabara, Mount Remarkable, South Australia
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Farm Labourer
Died: 10 November 1974, cause of death not yet discovered, place of death not yet discovered
Cemetery: Enfield Memorial Park, South Australia
Section GE, Row AD, Plot 54
Memorials: Wirrabara District WW1 Roll of Honour
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World War 1 Service

1 Jun 1916: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2117, 43rd Infantry Battalion
28 Aug 1916: Involvement Private, 2117, 43rd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '18' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Anchises embarkation_ship_number: A68 public_note: ''
28 Aug 1916: Embarked Private, 2117, 43rd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Anchises, Adelaide
11 Nov 1918: Involvement Private, 2117, 39th Infantry Battalion

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Biography contributed by St Aloysius College

James Stephen Marner as born in December 1893, in Wirrabara South Australia. When he enlisted on 19 June 1916 he was still living in Wirrabara. He was 22 years old, a Methodist, and working as a farm labourer. He was quite tall for the time at six feet and weighed 76kg. The medical examiner noted him as having blue eyes, light brown hair and a fresh complexion. He had no distinctive marks and very good vision.

James nominated his mother Elizabeth Marner as his next of kin. He also had two brothers, Robert George (/explore/people/315736) and Albert John (/explore/people/363182), both of whom also went to war. Robert came home, but Albert wasn't so lucky.

James Marnerembarked for war from Adelaide on 28 August 1916, on the HMAT Anchises, with the 3rd Reinforcements to the 43rd Battalion. The ship arrived in England on 11 October. Soon after arrival, James was transferred to the 39th Battalion. He spent much of January and February 1917 in hospital with mumps and scabies, before returning to duty. He served with the 39th through the fighting at Messines in June, before being wounded in the neck at Broodseinde on 4 October 1917. He rejoined his unit a month later.

James was ill again and in and out of hospital through the first half of 1918. He rejoined his battalion on 4 July but a week later was injured again in an accident, suffering a fractured clavicle. This was the end of his war. He left England for Australia on Christmas Eve 1918. He was discharged on 17 March 1919 and was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal for his service.

In later life James went into politics. With his occupation given as farmer, he was a Labor candidate for Grey in the 1937 Federal election. Later he served on the Port Germein council, in around 1940-41. A few years later he was living in Adelaide, in Broadview, and was a candidate for the Enfield council. He died on 10 November 1974 and is interred at Enfield Memorial Park.

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