Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Hans Christian Marker was born in Bornholm, a small island in the Baltic Sea, east of Denmark in 1888. It is assumed that at some stage during his childhood, the family made the move to Scott’s Creek, in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia. This assumption is based on the fact that his father was listed as his next of Kin and his location was also Scott’s Creek. He worked as a schoolteacher in Scott’s Creek teaching at Scott Creek Primary School. He identified religiously as a Methodist (Service Records). 

On the 18th of September 1915, Hans began his war journey by enlisting in the Australian Army when he was 27 years old (Australian War Memorial Attestation Paper, 2024). Hans served as a Private in the 7th  Company of the 2nd Depot Battalion (Australian War Memorial, Attestation Paper, 2024). The role of the Depot Battalions in World War 1 was to receive and organise enlisted recruits, provide them with the weapons and uniform needed for service and direct them to service on the front lines. Hans was part of this Battalion for two months before he moved to Morphettville training camp. This camp was a specialised training camp for those aspiring to be a gunner. Training at Morphetville was not for the ‘feint of heart’ beginning at 6am when soldiers were awakened from their tents with the Sergeants bugle. The days than consisted of eating breakfast and getting dressed and clearing the racecourse of emus! They had to attend the morning parade and then spent the day learning how to handle the guns and because of the shortage of equipment, many men had to practise with broomsticks instead (Australian War Memorial, Memories of Morphetville 2014). Hans trained at Morphetville between the 16th of November 1915 to the 16th of September 1915 where he completed his training as a gunner. He left Australia on the 20th of May 1916, embarking from Melbourne aboard the HMAT Media A7. He arrived in Plymouth 189th July 1916 and was promoted to Bombadier 24th July 1916. 

Hans proceeded overseas to France from Southhampton 31st December 1916 and began his official service in the Western Front with the 23rd Field Artillery. (Australian Virtual War Memorial, Attestation Paper, 2024).  Hans was ‘taken on strength’ beginning a new role in the 8th Field Artillery Brigade. This role was similar but involved being a gunner alongside the troops from the 4th and 5th division where he fought alongside these troops mentoring and training them (8th Field Artillery Brigade,2024).

Hans would have been a helpful mentor because of his background in school teaching. Gunners who fought in the 8th AFB were in charge of handling British 18 Pounder guns and 4.5-inch Howitzer guns. These were named after the weight of the shells they fired, and they required skill and precision to operate, but when used on the battlefield they were essential and deadly weapons. Gunners played such an important role in these battles because the Australian Army did not have enough supplies for all the troops as the war progressed and many went in to battle with little guns and ammunition, this meant that gunners had to eliminate enough of the opposing army to make up for their army’s lack of supplies (8th Field Artillery Brigade,2024). Hans began his service in the 23rd Field Artillery Brigade (Attestation Paper,2024) overseeing operating the Howitzer Battery gun used to destroy the blockages set up by the Germans. A howitzer is a relatively short, barrelled gun that fires a comparatively heavy shell at moderate velocity on a high trajectory causing the shells to fall steeply or 'lob' into the enemy positions. These guns were effective and came at a time of need for the Field Artillery Brigades and although they were restocked several times throughout Europe. (23rd Field Artillery Brigade, 2014).

While serving with the 8th Field Artillery Brigade he was promoted to Corporal on 11th of March 1917 (Attestation Paper, 2024) where the Battalion succeeded all its objectives but at a huge cost in terms of loss. His role as a corporal involved leading the brigade when the sergeants were gravely injured or killed. This was a big responsibility because Hans would not have had official training to become a corporal and would have been rewarded the promotion for his effort and leadership skills.

Unfortunately, in late August 1917, he became ill with influenza and hospitalised in France. His records show that he had P.U.O,  further research from the Australian National Archives state that this was a fever called Pyrexia.  He was taken from France on a hospital ship to Newhaven Hospital (Australian Virtual War Memorial Attestation Paper, 2024). He was then admitted to the 2nd London General Hospital on the 7th of September 1917, where he was treated and then was sent to 3rd Auxiliary hospital 24th September to convalesce. After a period of leave he recovered and reported back to duty 11th October 1917. He remained at the No. 2 Command Depot completing training until he proceeded to France in early January 1918 (Attestation Paper, 2024).

A fully recovered Hans than returned to the 8th Field Artillery Brigade and on the 30th of January he received the Military Medal for bravery in the Field. Hans was also promoted to Sergeant of the 8th Field Artillery Brigade on the 23rd of May 1918.

Finally, on the 26th of June 1919, Hans returned to Australia and finished his war service (Australian Virtual War Memorial, 2024). Hans returned home to Scott Creek on the 26th of June and was discharged from the Australian Army on the 11th of August 1919.

Bibliography:

“3rd Divisional Ammunition Column.” Vwma.org.au, vwma.org.au/explore/units/137. Accessed 7 June 2024.

“8th Field Artillery Brigade.” Vwma.org.au, vwma.org.au/explore/units/275.

“10th Field Artillery Brigade.” Vwma.org.au, vwma.org.au/explore/units/324.

“Australian Soldiers, Memorials and Military History.” Vwma.org.au, vwma.org.au/explore/projects/132346/edit?t=1717726526006. Accessed 7 June 2024.

Australian War Memorial. “Enlistment Statistics, First World War | the Australian War Memorial.” Awm.gov.au, Australian War Memorial, 2013, www.awm.gov.au/articles/encyclopedia/enlistment/ww1.

“Hans Christian Marker.” Www.awm.gov.au, www.awm.gov.au/collection/R2360734. Accessed 7 June 2024.

“Hans Christian Marker.” Www.awm.gov.au, www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1599308. Accessed 7 June 2024.

“Hospital Ships.” Following the Twenty-Second, 21 Jan. 2017, anzac-22nd-battalion.com/hospital-ships/.

“MARKER Hans Christian : Service Number - 22041 : Place of Birth - Bornholm Denmark : Place of Enlistment - Adelaide SA : Next of Kin - (Father) MARKER L M.” National Archives of Australia, 1914, recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=8207796&S=9&R=0. Accessed 7 June 2024.

“Virtual War Memorial.” Vwma.org.au, vwma.org.au/explore/campaigns/57.