Corporal Marris was committed to the cause
Jordan FallonThe Kearsley Community Dawn Service Committee is a small community-based organisation committed to uncovering the identities of Lower Hunter service personnel and honouring their service.
One of those recently identified was Kearsley man, Corporal Harold John Marris, who answered the call to duty during the latter half of World War I but never saw any overseas action.
Corporal Marris was born in 1895 to Mabel Mary Colton in the Gunnedah region. He moved throughout rural and regional New South Wales with his mother during his youth before finally settling in Kearsley. Upon finishing his initial education, Corporal Marris, commenced work as a motor driver and mechanic.
As conflict continued to ravage Europe, Corporal Marris sought a change from the sleepy, dusty streets of Kearsley and in April 1917 he enlisted with the 1st Pioneer Battalion at Singleton.
Desperate to make a contribution to Australia’s efforts at the front, Corporal Marris, enthusiastically engaged in his initial training, however, an injury he had sustained to his foot years prior halted his plans. Unable to effect the art of drill, Corporal Marris, was discharged as medically unfit on 23 May 1917. His dream of serving his nation lasted for only six weeks.
Distraught by the decision of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF), Corporal Marris, sought a change of scenery by making the move to Sydney. It proved to be a fateful decision. Shortly after his arrival, he met and fell in love with Emily Thorn. The romance blossomed and they married just months later in early 1918.
With a new wife by his side and knowing that his fellow Australians were still committed to trench warfare on the Western Front, Corporal Marris, again attempted to enlist in the AIF.
Less than 12 months after he had been medically discharged, Corporal Marris, presented himself at the Central Enlisting Depot at Sydney in May 1918. However, he could not overcome the injury he had sustained to his foot. Just three months later, he was discharged from the AIF for the second time, with his records marked “having been found medically unfit for further service”.
His attempts to serve his nation in the trenches alongside other young Australians were denied because of factors out of his control. The heartbreak was unimaginable.
Following his discharge from the AIF, Corporal Marris and Emily lived in various Western Sydney suburbs including Liverpool and Blacktown. Seeking a sea change, they made the move to the Central Coast in the years following the end of World War II.
Corporal Marris passed away on 10 June 1966 and was laid to rest at Point Clare Cemetery on the Central Coast. He predeceased Emily by nearly 20 years.
The village of Kearsley pays tribute to Corporal Marris. He was committed to the cause and was willing to put his life on the line to ensure peace for the residents of the Lower Hunter.
