World War I digger Private Andrew James Marshall remembered at moving ceremony

In a moving ceremony, a young soldier has been granted an Australian war grave at West Terrace Cemetery – 106 years after his death.

Private Andrew James Marshall was one soldier we did forget, for 106 years.

But at a moving ceremony yesterday, his country finally “remembered” him by dedicating his previously unmarked West Terrace Cemetery resting place as an official Australian war grave.

Private Marshall died of pneumonia, aged 30, before he was able to travel to Europe and make good on his pledge to fight for his country.

The year was 1914 and by the time the fog of World War I lifted, Australia as a young nation had been torn apart.

Distance and disinterest in the death of one man while in training meant Private Marshall was all but forgotten, his nameless grave far from his hometown of Broken Hill and family, mainly in NSW.

But one little girl, his granddaughter Joy Parker, never forgot the stories and, as an adult in the 1980s, she decided Australia should remember her grandfather, too.

“It has been a long time coming since the 1980s, and then we just had the basics – we didn’t know where he died or what had happened,’’ she said.

She battled alone for many years trying to uncover the full details of her grandfather’s life and death, before a chance encounter through Avon brought her into contact with another of

Family members of Private Andrew James Marshall at his graveside: Grandchildren Joy Parker, 89, Ron Wallace, 90, and Robyn Wallace, 73. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

Mourners say a prayer during the solemn ceremony at West Terrace Cemetary. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

His new resting place. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

Private Marshall’s relatives – family historian Susan Symmonds — and their work began in earnest around 20 years ago.

There appeared to be no trace, until the intervention of Google in 2010 produced an article about one of Private Marshall’s brothers.

“I just put Private Andrew James Marshall into Google one day and Google had come such a long way and I noticed that some of the details in this article were familiar and correct,’’ Mrs Symmonds said.

“So that led us to start all over again and repeat everything we had done with the new information.”

More searching, and the family rediscovered he had travelled to SA along with others at the time from Broken Hill.

“We had found him, and then our purpose was to get him into a war grave, and I am so proud and honoured that we have,’’ Mrs Parker said.

“It is a pretty emotional day and I’m meeting knew cousins I have only read about until now and they have put so much work into this.”

The original funeral of Private Andrew James Marshall at Adelaide's West Terrace Cemetery. Picture: RSL

Private Marshall was the grandson of well-known Naracoorte pioneers, William and Susan Marshall

One of five enlisted brothers, Mrs Simmonds said Andrew had signed up under the name Private John Thomas Marshall – the name of his younger brother who also later enlisted for service.

He did, however, provide his correct date of birth and when he died of pneumonia at camp the then rare death of the serviceman was marked with a well attended funeral reported by several newspapers.

“However, they published the story with yet another incorrect name: Private James Marshall,” Mrs Simmonds explained.

After 2010 a battle with authorities ensued, and Ms Simmonds was able to establish a precedent for many servicemen who died before leaving Australian shores to be honoured with a war grave.

Mrs Parker, 89, her brother Ron Wallace, 90, and her sister Robyn Wallace, 73 were all able to attend the dedication from NSW.

RSL state president Cheryl Cates presided over the ceremony on Monday, which included a laying of a wreath and the Last Post.