Marshall James SLATER

Marshall James SLATER Update Details

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SLATER, Marshall James

Service Number:	386
Enlisted:	7 January 1916, Adelaide, South Australia
Last Rank:	Private
Last Unit:	43rd Infantry Battalion
Born:	Thebarton, South Australia, 1 December 1889
Home Town:	Thebarton (Southwark), City of West Torrens, South Australia
Schooling:	Hindmarsh Public School, South Australia
Occupation:	Labourer
Died:	Killed in Action, Belgium, 17 October 1917, aged 27 years
Cemetery:	No known grave - "Known Unto God"
Memorials:	Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial

World War 1 Service

7 Jan 1916:	Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 386, 43rd Infantry Battalion, Adelaide, South Australia
9 Jun 1916:	Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 386, 43rd Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '18' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Afric embarkation_ship_number: A19 public_note: ''
9 Jun 1916:	Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 386, 43rd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Afric, Adelaide
26 May 1917:	Wounded GSW (hand)
17 Oct 1917:	Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 386, 43rd Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres

Marshall's Last Days

Pte Marshall James SLATER

#386
8th Platoon
B Company
43rd Battalion AIF

My Great grand uncle Marshall SLATER died on 17th October 1917.

According to The Forty-Third The Story and Official History of the 43rd Battalion, AIF, compiled by Colliver and Richardson and published by Rigby Limited, he fell at trench map ‘sheet 28 D16.d.1.7.’ Approximately 350m South West of a German pillbox, this pillbox is still located within the graves of Tyne Cot Cemetery.

The following is a part of a letter written to me by the staff of the Memorial Museum Passchendaele which outlines some of the battle at the time prior to Marshall being killed.

'In the morning of the 12th of October 1917 the 3rd Australian Division attacked in conjunction with the 4th Australian Division on the right and the New Zealanders on the left. The 11th Brigade was in reserve for the 3rd Australian Division, as it already had seen action on the 4th October. During the attack of the 12th the 43rd Battalion was held up at Bremen Redoubt. Their position was in close vicinity of an artillery battery. The Battalion chose to leave this position in favour of Bremen Redoubt, because the battery was frequently shelled by the Germans. They remained at Bremen Redoubt for 26 hours.

The attack of the 12th wasn’t a success and the 11th Brigade again moved forward to its old sector, occupying the same dispositions as before the attack. In the morning of the 13th of October the Battalion relieved a portion of the 9th Brigade. The 43rd manned the defences in the vicinity of Tyne Cot. The Battalion Headquarters were located at Seine. The Battalion remained at Tyne Cot until the 15th of October.

After 48 hours in the lines near Tyne Cot the Battalion was relieved by men of the 9th Brigade. The 43rd went back to reserve and took up positions between Seine and Beecham, where it would remain for six days. The positions between Seine and Beecham were frequently shelled by the German Artillery. Although the 43rd were considered to be dug in deep, the frequent shelling made casualties each day. We believe Private Marshall James Slater was one of the men of the 43rd Australian Division who was killed in action due to heavy shelling at the Australian positions between Seine and Beecham on the 17th October.'

Written by Great grand nephew Harry Tysoe, Lesmurdie, Western Australia

Virtual
War Memorial
Australia