Morris Wilfred (Mo) MARRINGTON MID

MARRINGTON, Morris Wilfred

Service Number: QX16523
Enlisted: 28 July 1940
Last Rank: Corporal
Last Unit: 2nd/9th Infantry Battalion
Born: Essex, England, United Kingdom , 15 May 1904
Home Town: Crows Nest, Toowoomba, Queensland
Schooling: Harlaxton State School, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia
Occupation: Truck Driver (Council Employee)
Died: Died of wounds, Papua, 20 January 1943, aged 38 years
Cemetery: Port Moresby (Bomana) War Cemetery, Papua New Guinea
CWGC Grave No: Section A. Plot 8. Row B. Grave 27. Inscription: "A SILENT THOUGHT, A SECRET TEAR, HOLDS HIS MEMORY EVER DEAR".
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Crows Nest (Qld) War Memorial
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World War 2 Service

3 Sep 1939: Involvement Corporal, QX16523
28 Jul 1940: Enlisted
28 Jul 1940: Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Corporal, QX16523, 2nd/9th Infantry Battalion
20 Jan 1943: Discharged

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Biography contributed by Annette Marrington

The Toowoomba Chronicle and Darling Downs Gazette, Sat 6 Feb 1943, Pg 5 under ‘Personal’ column.

“Corporal Maurice Marrington, who died of wounds received in New Guinea, was 36 years of age (writes our Crow's Nest correspondent). He was born in England, and came to Australia with his parents when he was three years of age. He attended the Harlaxton State School when the family lived in Toowoomba, and was about 14 years of age when they came to reside in Crow's Nest. He spent the greater part of his life in the Crow's Nest district. He followed various occupations, and was employed by the Crow's Nest Shire Council before his enlistment in June, 1940. He was prominent in Rugby League football in the years when the game flourished in Crow's Nest and played a useful game as a front-row forward. His fine sportsman ship and friendly disposition earned him many friends. For years before his enlistment, he was a close friend of the late Corporal John French, V.C., but while Corporal French fought in the Middle East, Corporal Marrington fought in Malaya and in the defence of Singapore. He was one of five Australians who escaped from Singapore in a motor boat after its capitulation. Later he was destined to be transferred to the same battalion as Corporal French and ultimately to be placed in charge of the section which Corporal French was leading when he lost his life in the action that won for him the Victoria Cross. Corporal Marrington's father, Mr. Robert Marrington, left Crow's Nest to live with his son, James (i.e, Geoffrey John/Uncle Jim), at Taromeo Station, via Benarkin. Mrs. Marrington died about eight years ago. Corporal Marrington had three other brothers. The eldest, Ernest, served in the Royal Australian Navy during and since the last war. Stanley lives in Toowoomba, and William left Crow's Nest last year and is at present engaged in defence work in Melbourne. A sister, Mrs. C. Dyke, lives in Toowoomba."

The Courier-Mail (Brisb, Qld.) Tues 2 Feb 1943, Pg. 3.

DEATH OF V.C's SUCCESSOR

CROWS NEST, Monday — Corporal Maurice Marrington, who took over command of the section from the late Corporal French, V.C. has died of wounds in New Guinea. This advice was received to-day by his father, Robert Marrington, of Taromeo Station, via Benarkin. Corporal Marrington enlisted from Crow's Nest and went to Malaya. He and several others escaped in an open motor boat after the fall of Singapore and reached Australia in a Dutch boat. He was a close friend of the late Corporal French for years before their enlistment. In a recent letter to a friend in Crow's Nest, he said that he would have given anything to be in the same unit as French when he joined up. It seemed strange to him that later he had actually taken over French's job. "It seems I was meant to come to this unit." he wrote, "and I will be satisfied if I can do as quarter as good a job as Jack."

The Central Queensland Herald (Rockhampton, Qld.) Thurs 30 Dec 1943, Pg. 21.

The following have been mentioned as having rendered gallant and distinguished services in the South-west Pacific area:

Mention in Dispatches (posthumous), Queenslanders:

Amongst the names was Acting Corporal Morris Wilford Marrington.

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