In a little over a year from now we will be commemorating one hundred years since the start of the First World War. A century on, we are still uncovering, like the bodies of the fallen in French and Flanders fields, extraordinary stories of individuals who were pivotal to the ANZAC pantheon.
One such story is the subject of THE BOY COLONEL (Vintage).
From the author of BENEATH HILL 60, Will Davies, a greater recognition of Douglas Marks will be appreciated by a wider audience than the Palm Beach surf club where a brass plaque pays tribute to him.
There was nothing neutral about the Neutral Bay boy, Douglas Marks, enlisting as soon as war was declared. He is portrayed as a typical, youthful man of his time, fiercely loyal and high spirited.
Not so typical, indeed, unique, is that he became a commanding officer of a battalion of nearly a thousand men at just twenty-two years of age.
He had spent time in the cadets while at the Fort Street High School, and like many young men of his time, had undergone basic military training. After leaving school he joined the CMF and in June 1914 was commissioned as a second lieutenant. By September he was part of the newly formed 13th Battalion awaiting embarkation to Egypt, Gallipoli and the western front.
And so begins four years of warfare where legends are forged from carnage and courage.
Davies narrative derives from primary source material from the period, particularly Douglas Marks’ diary, the battalion war diary and Thomas White’s descriptive history.
The meticulous research of these texts was complimented by field trips to the places marks served, was wounded, and persevered, rising to colonel and inspiring those he commanded. It reinforces what many of us already know about the battles generally while aiding guided discovery of much we probably don’t know.
Douglas Marks was the embodiment of enduring example, valour and leadership and his story avails a better appreciation of the history, the ANZAC tradition and the awful sacrifice. Lest we forget.