33rd BATTALION - 3rd BATTALION AIF
Private: 1270 Harold Hayward UNVERHAU.
Born: 7th September 1893. Armidale, New South Wales, Australia.
Died: 5th October 1917. Belgium.
Father: Gottlap Charles Unverhau (circa 1860-1923) Died at Armidale, N.S.W. Death Cert:16747/1923.
Mother: Eliza J Unverhau. nee:. (circa 1860-1925) Died at Armidale, N.S.W. Death Cert:6485/1925.
A SOUVENIR OF H.M.A.T. MARATHON. THE NORTHERN BATTALION'S TROOPSHIP.
Mrs. C. Unverhau, of "Glenwood" Uralla, forwards us a souvenir of the Marathon's voyage, which she has just received from her son, Private: 1270 Harold Hayman UNVERHAU who is a member of the Northern Battalion. The title page contains a photograph of the ship and a statement of the troops on board. The rest of the letterpress is as follows: Perhaps one of the prettiest, and most affecting sights in the world is an Australian ship's good-bye, especially if the vessel be a transport. The devotion of relatives and friends is amazing. Besides undergoing the discomfort and inconvenience of a long journey to the port of embarkation, they also cheerfully endure the tedium of uncertainty and waiting about incidental to the dispatch of' troops. In this case the anxiety of attachment, saw some taking up a position of advantage a day previous.
Friends assemble on the quay with rolls of colored paper ribbons, one end of which is thrown to the departing one on board and the other retained by a friend ashore. As the vessel moves away; the rolls are unwound till hundreds of bright-hued streamers are suspended like a fairy-chain between the ship and shore till the whole length runs out or snaps asunder through strain. The "Marathon's" departure was particularly auspicious. Every soldier on the ship and every person ashore seemed connected by a rainbow. A thousand strands, irradiated in the morning sun. Not content with that, motor launches filled with well-wishers must needs follow her up some distance when under weigh. Within an hour of sailing the stormy winds were blowing and the ship—one of the most steady and reliable that ever left the docks—a-tossing. Sea legs and sea stomachs would have fetched any price. Misled by the alert appearance and uniform, unfortunately no one had anticipated ,the demand. The disappearing lights of Bondi synchronised with the dwindling spirits of the 33rd, now at a very low ebb indeed.
It was, nobody's fault that the voyage was a little tedious through being unduly long, accentuated a good deal by intermittent bad weather. To enumerate a few is to commence a really long list. Besides the daily parades for drill, etc., when the weather held fine, there were boxing bouts and sports, relieved by band performances and deck concerts . Some of the days, with calm sea and warm, radiant sunshine, were wholly delightful ; while cool moonlight evenings provided ideal conditions for pianofortes and vocal selections. Ports of call, too, gave opportunity to enlarge experience and profit by observation, though in several instances it was a case of distance lending enchantment to the view— one cannot see much on the deck of a steamer half a mile from an object on shore, which strangeness, of course, only heightens interest and foments desire to approach closer. Yet despite all drawbacks every man on the ship got the benefit of a passing acquaintanceship with towns and countries other than his own—a direct contrast, say, in comparing Central Africa with the Commonwealth or, to come nearer home, Western with Eastern Australia, and again his own with the Colony of South Africa.
16th September 1916 transferred to the 3rd Battalion AIF. Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Flanders, Belgium
11th November 1917.
Informant: Corporal: S RIGNEY. 10th Battalion A.I.F. ""Has possession of the Identity Disk, Paybook and other effects of Pte Unverhau who was killed about 6th of October 1917. Cpl Rigney asks for information as to what he should do with these.
Note wrote to Cpl Rigney either bring these here or sent them to H.Q.
Menin Gate War Memorial
Under Construction: 31/10/2016-06/05/2018.