Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

2002 Pte. Marmaduke Ros Terry – (affectionately known as Ros) – was the last child born to Marmaduke and Cathie Terry in Melbourne in 1894. He was less than a year old when his mother died. Moving to Western Australia with his family, Ros was to grow up in Margaret River on the family property his father bought for his new wife, Fulimena, called Wallcliffe House. He was never lonely, as another seven children came along to join him and the house was always busy and full of life. Ros worked on the family farm until the start of the world war. With his brother Don, he traveled to Perth to enlist on June 29 1915.

Obviously standing in front of Don, he signed up first. (His unit number is one short of Don’s.) Three months of training at Blackboy Hill alongside Don; assigned to the 28th Battalion, 3rd Reinforcements; boarding the same ship HMAT A68 “Anchises” on September 2 and travelling to Mudros, Alexandria; the brothers seemed inseparable. Posted to “Cheshire Ridge” to the north of Anzac Cove, the job of the 28th was to hold their position until the withdrawal of the Australian forces in December. From here they regrouped on the island of Lemnos in time to celebrate Christmas. January 10 1916 and Ros found himself at Alexandria, Egypt. Training in the heat and dust for two months Ros and the 28th were then sent on to France, disembarking at Marseilles on March 21.

Travelling by train across the length of the country, they were introduced into European warfare around Armentieres holding the right flank of the 7th Brigade. Four months of trench fighting had Ros battle bloodied and ready for the attack on Poziers. Part of the German front line of defense, Pozier held the high ground and winning the town and the ridge would open up the defense of the German trenches all the way to Mouquet Farm in the north. On the night of July 29, following weeks of heavy allied bombing, the 28th attacked. But they became entangled in the barbed wire which they thought had been destroyed by weeks of Allied shelling, and in this very vulnerable state, Ros was shot and killed by machine gun fire. His brother Don was also wounded in the chest by mortar fragments in the same action.

Confirming Ros’s death was Corporal McHugh. He had been standing to one side of Ros as they went "over the top". He made a hand written statement which said: “we were hung up at the barbed wire which had not been cut at all. He (Marmaduke) was hit by machine gun bullets and he just jumped up, fell back and died. I do not know where he is buried. We never got through then, but we did a week later.”

Ros died at the age of 22 years and 10 months. He has no known grave but is listed on the Villiers-Bretonneux Memorial . His personal effects were sent home and these included a wallet, letters, photos, cards, a Devotional book, and a damaged mirror and three coins. Such a small parcel to display the life of such a young man.

1914/15 Star, British War Medal, and Victory Medal