697 Driver MARINA Bertie William

1 Field Artillery Brigade

Bertie was a member of one of the best known and most highly respected families in the Young district. He was born on 20 November 1886 near Monteagle. The grandson of Mr and Mrs Carlo Marina of ‘Moppity’, Young. The son of Mr William and Mrs Helen Marina nee Taylor of ‘Verana’, Young. His Brother and Sisters were Mr EB Marina, Mrs FA Selden and Mrs MM Laxen. Bertie was very fond of sport and occupied a prominent position at different times on the Young Turf Club and the Young Gun Club. 

Bertie was one of the first to enlist for Service in the war on 4 September 1914, aged 29. He embarked on the HMAT A8 Argyllshire from Sydney on 18 October 1914 enroute to Egypt with the first contingent of the Australian Imperial Force. 

Bertie was injured at the Gallipoli Peninsula on 24 June 1915, receiving a gunshot wound to the left leg. He spent several weeks in the No.1 Australian General Hospital, Heliopolis, Egypt, before returning to his Unit, on light duties, on 7 October 1915.

On 10 December 1915 Bertie was re-admitted to hospital, in Egypt, with a fractured skull. On 9 February 2016 he embarked from the Suez onboard the HMAT A71 Nester bound for Australia. 

Bertie suffered much as a consequence of his injuries. After being invalided home in April 1916, he died on 13 September 1920 and is buried in the Young Cemetery.