DARWIN MILITARY MUSEUM
Darwin war history

Vernon Lionel Marsh and the HMAT A36 Boonah

1/2/2019

 
Author
Written by Garey Neenan
​One hundred years ago the Great War was over, but for one Territory solider on his way to the western front, was about to face one of the biggest battles of his life without firing a single shot.

​His name was Vernon Lionel Marsh.
 


Picture
Marsh was the son of a well-known Darwin family, Cecil Henry Marsh and Belle (nee Kelsey), an early pioneer of Darwin. His maternal grandfather was John George Kelsey, Clerk of the Palmerston District Council and Kelsey Crescent in Milner is named in his honour. Belle Place, off Kelsey Crescent is named after his mother.

Vernon attended Darwin Public School and was a member of the Darwin Cable Guard. He followed his brother Keith who had enlisted in late 1916, enlisting in Adelaide five days after his 18th birthday, with his parents' permission, citing his date of birth as 7 April 1900. 

Picture
He was assigned to the 6th General Service Reinforcements and after undertaking basic training, his unit embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A36 Boonah on 22 October 1918. The HMAT Boonah was the last Australian troop ship to leave Australia for the war in Europe.

Carrying over 900 troops, the Boonah was just days out from Durban South Africa, word was received that an armistice had been signed, bringing the hostilities of WW1 to an end. Orders were received for the ship to replenish its supplies in Durban and return to Australia.

While tied up in Durban, local stevedores loaded supplies onto the ship and were billeted on board with the troops. Unbeknownst to those on the Boonah, the stevedores were infected with the Spanish Flu.

The 1918 Spanish Flu was a strain of the novel H1N1 influenza that spread across the world in 2009 under the name of the Swine Flu.

Picture
The flu had been transmitted to the Australian troops and in the close quarters of the overcrowded Boonah on the trip back to Australia, the perfect environment existed for the flu to spread.

Rough seas and cold weather on the return trip ensured that the troops remained in close confinement, providing the perfect environment for the flu to spread.

Five days after the Boonah’s departed Durban, the first flu-like symptoms began to appear.


The first casualty was Sergeant Arthur Charles Thwaites who jumped overboard on the night of
9 December 1918. A later investigation by a Court of Enquiry found that he committed suicide, most likely as a result of being delirious from the fever of the flu. A later investigation by a Court of Enquiry found that he committed suicide by jumping overboard, most likely as a result of being delirious from the fever of the flu.

By the time the ship arrived back at Fremantle on 12 December, more than 300 cases had been reported and Commonwealth immigration authorities refused to allow the soldiers to disembark knowing of the global pandemic which was underway, and which had until then spared Western Australia.

The ship anchored in Gage Roads of Fremantle while authorities considered Rottnest and Garden Islands to quarantine the soldiers. Public outrage grew against the refusal of the immigration authorities to allow all of the soldiers ashore with casualties growing each day. Perth newspapers attracted many angry responses to government’s inaction with comments like...

   "How many cases of sickness and death are required to make the authorities do a commonsense thing?".[1]
   "Enough of this inhuman incarceration of soldiers in the disease-stricken cubby-hole of a floating hell."[2]

After some delays, approval was granted for about 300 of the sickest soldiers to be moved ashore to the Quarantine Station at Woodman Point, south of Fremantle. Three of the men died on the first day at the station and it took three days for 337 men to be brought ashore. Vernon Marsh was one of them.

For those left on board the ship, conditions were believed to be deplorable. Authorities insisted on a seven-day incubation period with no new cases being cited to prove that the disease had burnt itself out. Unfortunately, new infections and deaths continued.

Public outrage grew against the refusal of the immigration authorities to allow all of the soldiers ashore with casualties growing each day.

Wrangling between the State Minister for Health, Sir Hal Colebatch and the federal immigration authorities continued and tensions increased to the point that the Returned Servicemen's association made threats to storm the ship to return the sick men to shore.

The situation continued to deteriorate further with more soldiers dying and more than 20 nursing and medical staff becoming infected. By 20 December, Woodman Point was housing over 600 soldiers and after nine days of acrimony, and despite breaking quarantine regulations, the ship sailed east with the remaining troops, presumably to defuse the situation.

Another 17 cases were discovered between Albany and Adelaide and the remaining men were disembarked at Torrens Island Quarantine Station, a similar facility to Woodman Point, just north of Adelaide. No further deaths occurred and after being given the all-clear, the remaining men returned to their homes.

Marsh was released from Woodman Point in early January 1919, entrained at Fremantle for Adelaide where he was discharged on 23 January 1919. He was luckier that the twenty-seven soldiers and four nurses at Woodman Point that died and were buried at the Woodman Point quarantine station, and later interred at Karrakatta Cemetery.


He returned to the Northern Territory, living in Tennant Creek and working as a linesman before moving to Alice Springs where he managed the Memorial Club until 1951. He married and settled back in Darwin in the 1960’s living in Fannie Bay and finally Parap.
Picture
Marsh died on 22 October 1984, exactly 66 years to the day the overcrowded Boonah left Adelaide, and now rests in the Darwin General Cemetery in Jingili. His headstone records his age as 83 years making him just 17, and underage at the time of enlisting, which may have provided him with a better chance of survival.

In the absence of modern communications and reporting, it is believed that as many as 500 million people around the world contracted the Spanish Flu with an estimated death toll of between
50-100 million, making it the most world’s most deadly epidemic.

In the wake of the armistice of WW1, the Boonah incident, despite being recorded widely in the press around Australia, has gone relatively unnoticed. In 2004, Ian Darroch published the book “The Boonah tragedy” detailing the incident.

​As for the Boonah, she was sold to a German steamship company in 1925 and was taken over by the German Kreigsmarine (navy) at the outbreak of the Second World War. 

​In 1940, she was torpedoed and sunk by the British submarine HMS Narwhal off the coast of Norway.


[1] The Daily News, 14 December 1918.
[2] The Sunday Times editorial, 15 December 1918.

wwII history
9 Comments
georgia link
1/3/2019 13:17:09

gr8

Reply
Wahdan Arum Inawati link
30/7/2019 12:56:33

how South Africa just days after the armistice was signed?

Reply
Garey Neenan link
30/7/2019 14:20:57

Wahdan Arum Inawatilink

The route the ships took to Europe alternated between the Cape of Good Hope and the Suez Canal. On this occasion, the Boonah was going around the Cape.

Reply
Paul Coghlan
10/11/2019 22:13:59

My grandfather Walter Coghlan was an Able Seaman aged 22 years on board the Boonah (A36) that left Albany with the second convoy to Egypt on 31 December 1914. He was discharged back in Sydney in early June 1915. My father (also Walter) was born six weeks later in July.
My grandfather was a seaman and a waterside worker all of his life and in 1946 served a term as President of the Waterside Workers Federation (Sydney Branch).

Reply
Ken Bailey
26/3/2020 20:08:10

I bought a button many years ago.The button has a picture of the ship With the words BOONAH BOYS 1918 1919.Do you know the story behind the button.

Reply
Paul Coghlan
26/3/2020 20:26:28

Hi Jen!
I would be very interested to know the history of the button you have in your possession.

Reply
Garey Neenan
27/3/2020 11:08:28

Paul & Ken

The Auckland Museum online has an item in its collection relating to the button. It appears to be a fundraising button spanning the period 1 January 1918 to 31 December 1919, and does not appear to have any connection with the December 1918 incident.

The website below includes a picture of the button.

https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/collections-research/collections/record/am_humanhistory-object-749934?c=ecrm%3AE22_Man-Made_Object&k=%22Boys%22&dept=History&ordinal=15

Ken Bailey
28/3/2020 16:56:19

Hi Paul,I bought the button in 2008 from antique store in Kings Park SA.
I bought because of story behind.
Ken

Paul Coghlan
28/3/2020 17:57:23

I have the original papers that my grandfather left me recording that he was a 22 year old Able Seaman on the Boonah in 1914/1915. When in Albany there was no record of the sailors and crew who were on board the transports. I have lobbied the Anzac Museum to rectify this. I too would have snapped up that wonderful button you have in your possession.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Darwin Military Museum
    Blog


    Hello and welcome to our blog!

    Here at the Museum we are dedicated to the preservation of Australia's military history.

    In our blog we will uncover the forgotten stories of Australian soldiers, and share fascinating facts about military conflicts both at home and overseas.

    Follow our blog!

    RSS Feed

    Picture
    Press Like on FB for more

    Archives

    October 2019
    July 2019
    April 2019
    February 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017

    Categories

    All
    Weaponry
    World War I
    World War II

How to Contact and find the Darwin Military Museum

Click on Address: LOT 5434 Alec Fong Lim Dr, East Point NT 0820
Phone: (08) 8981 9702
Email: info@darwinmilitarymuseum.com.au


All Credit Cards Accepted
Free Parking
Service Animals allowed
Restrooms
Free Wifi & Download the free App Map
Wheelchair Accessible

    Subscribe Today!

Submit
Purchase Tickets
Picture
Download the DMM Map for your device before you come to the museum
Picture
Check out Facebook!

Picture
Download the DMM Map for your device before you come to the museum
Picture
Donate
Picture


Find out more 

Darwin Military Museum
​
OPENING TIMES & TICKETS

​OPENING TIMES 7 days a Week

Please note we are closed on 25th, 26th, 27th & 28th December 2021 and New Years Day 1st January 2022.

9.30am - 4pm Monday - Saturday
10.00am - 3pm Sunday and public holidays

​We recommend you allow at least 1.5hrs for your visit.


ADMISSION FEES & ONLINE TICKETS
ADULTS
(16 years +): $20.00
CHILDREN (5 - 15 years): $10.00
CHILDREN (under 5 years): FREE
NT SENIORS (65 years +): $10.00

TERRITORY PASS is available to NT residents
DMM Membership (Friend of the Museum) - Only available for purchase online - One year entry and 15% off merchandise including the cafe - $35
INTERSTATE/INTERNATIONAL SENIORS (65 YEARS +): $15.00
FAMILY PASS (2 ADULTS, 3 CHILDREN U16): $45.00
UNIVERSITY/TAFE STUDENT: $10.00

PERSON WITH A DISABILITY: $10.00
​CARER OF PERSON WITH A DISABILITY: ​$10.00
SERVING MILITARY MEMBERS: $15


SCHOOL GROUPS: Northern Territory students on excursion
Students 16 years and under during school hours: $2.00 per student.  
Students must be supervised at all times.
1 adult per 10 students: $20.00


SCHOOL GROUPS: Non-NT students on excursion
Students 16 years and under during school hours: $10.00 per student.  Students must be supervised at all times.
1 adult per 10 students: $20.00


Please note we are closed on Good Friday, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.
For hotels nearby, check with HotelsCombined ​
Home
Tickets & Souvenirs
Picture

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF TRADITIONAL CUSTODIANS
The Australian Darwin Military Museum  acknowledges the traditional custodians of country throughout Australia. We recognise their continuing connection to land, sea and waters. We pay our respects to elders past and present.
Our Copyright & privacy statement All rights reserved  2021
Website by Darwin Photographer Oliver Thompson Media

  • Home
  • Defence of Darwin Experience
  • About
  • Upcoming Events
  • Online Tickets
  • Merchandise
  • Donation
  • DMM Blog
  • DMM Membership
  • Function Venue Hire Darwin
  • Contact
  • Home
  • Defence of Darwin Experience
  • About
  • Upcoming Events
  • Online Tickets
  • Merchandise
  • Donation
  • DMM Blog
  • DMM Membership
  • Function Venue Hire Darwin
  • Contact