John Stanley Marsh was born at Castlemaine Victoria in November 1888. He was the son of Henry Marsh, then aged sixty, and his wife Margaret, nee Edwards, aged forty. He enlisted at Melbourne on 18 April, 1918 at the age of 30 and 6 months. He was single, a manager by occupation, but no other information was provided about the area he worked in. He had previous military experience, having joined up to the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, 1st Battalion Lord Liverpool's Own and served for 101 days. However, he did not go overseas with the N.Z.E.P., but returned to Australia and was living with his mother, Margaret Marsh ay 147 Wellington Parade, Jolimont, when he enlisted. He was 5' 5" in height, with brown eyes and dark hair and by religion, was Church of England.
He was sent to Broadmeadows camp, where he was attached to the Recruit Depot Battalion, 11th Reinforcements. And on 13 August, 1918, embarked for England on the H.M.A.T. Barambah with the rest of the recruits to the 14th Battalion. By the time the new recruits arrived, the war was over and all that remained was the massive task of returning the soldiers to their homelands, and clearing up the detritus of the battlegrounds. On 1 March 1919, John Marsh was taken on strength with the 14th Battalion from the 11th Reinforcements, most probably in England.
Having signed up, there was not much for the recruits to do, On 22 March, John Marsh was sent on an educational tour to Ostend and on his return, marched out to England disembarking at Southampton. From here, he was returned to Australia on H.M.A.T. Frankfurt, disembarking at Melbourne on 20 August, 1919.
On 18 April 1923, Stan Marsh married Phyllis Ann Sweetman. He described his occupation as 'merchant', while Phyllis was a ledger keeper. They had two sons, Peter Andrew Marsh and John Barry Marsh. He went on to become Manager of the Nauru/ Ocean Island Phosphate Company. Stan Marsh died in Adelaide on 20 November, 1945.
The Argus 22 November 1945, p. 13:John Stanley Marsh,
Marsh - On November 20, at Calvary Hospital, North Adelaide, late manager of C.C. Wakefield and Co. Ltd and 14th Battalion First A.I.F., dearly beloved husband of Phyllis Ann Marsh (19 Kennaway St. Tusmore) and loved father of Barry and the later Peter Andrew Marsh (killed in action, R.A.A.F.), aged 58 years Requiscat in pace.
N.A.A. War Record John Stanley Marsh
Ancestry John Stanley Marsh, public member tree.
Trove Death notice The Argus, Thursday 22 November 1945, p13