SERVICE PERSON RESEARCH
SERVICE PERSON DETAILS
Service Person’s
Name
Martin Mary Reynolds
Rank
Corporal
Service Number
2372
Regiment/Unit or
Ship or Squadron
Date of Birth
15th Australian Infantry Battalion
November 1896
Place of Birth
Murwillumbah, New South Wales, Australia
Family Details
Son of Mary and Patrick Reynolds, of Murwillumbah, New South Wales.
Age at Enlistment
19 years
Place of Enlistment
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Date of Death
27 September 1917
Place of Death
Polygon Wood, Ypres Salient, Flanders, Belgium
Cemetery or
Memorial Name
Grave or
Memorial
Number
The Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium
Panel 7 – 17 – 23 – 25 – 27 – 29 – 31
PHOTO
Source: Reynolds Family Archives
SERVICE PERSON’S STORY/EULOGY:
Prepared by Darcy Reynolds
Martin Mary Reynolds is my great, great uncle who enlisted to go to World War 1 on 28 February 1916 in Brisbane.
Martin was born in Murwillumbah, northern New South Wales, in 1896. His father was Patrick Reynolds and his
mother was Mary Reynolds. His occupation before departing for the Great War was a farmhand on his father’s dairy
farm in Murwillumbah. He was an ex-pupil of Mount Saint Patrick’s Convent in Murwillumbah and De La Salle
College, Armidale.
At the time of his embarkation, he was 19 years old and a Private in the 47th Infantry Battalion. Later on in the war,
he was promoted to Corporal and was transferred to the 15th Infantry Battalion. His service number was 2372.
Martin embarked on 19 September 1916 from Brisbane, aboard the HMAT Seang Choon A49. He became seasick on
the journey over, and was admitted to hospital for three days upon arrival in England. He arrived in Plymouth on 9
December 1916.
His unit was transferred to Codford, then on to Tidford, where he qualified first class in a rifle course. Martin then
proceeded to Étaples in France, where he became sick for a second time, resulting in more days in hospital.
In early September 1917, the 15th Battalion was moved to the France/Belgium border and became involved in an
intense battle with the enemy. In the time between 23 and 28 September, 23 soldiers died and 135 were wounded
from the 15th Battalion. On 27 September, Corporal Martin Mary Reynolds became one of the deceased at the age of
20.
Martin’s body was never recovered from the battlefield in Polygon Wood, on the outskirts of Ypres, Belgium. His
name is engraved on the Menin Gate, Ypres. He was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal for his
efforts during the war.
The following is inscribed on the Murwillumbah Cenotaph:
“Remember with thanksgiving
the true and faithful men
who in the great war of 1914 – 1919
went forth from this place
for God and right.
The names of those
who returned not again
and hereon inscribed
to be honoured for evermore”
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Australian War Memorial 2015, Roll of Honour: Martin Mary Reynolds, viewed 28 February 2015,
https://www.awm.gov.au/people/rolls/R1652292/ (accessed 28 February 2015)
Australian War Memorial 2015, First World Embarkation Roles: Martin Mary Reynolds,
https://www.awm.gov.au/people/rolls/R1908394/, (accessed 28 February 2015)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission 2015, Casualty Details: Reynolds, Martin Mary, http://www.cwgc.org/findwar-dead/casualty/1600690/REYNOLDS,%20MARTIN%20MARY (accessed 28 February 2015)
National Archives of Australia (2015), REYNOLDS Martin Mary: Service Number - 2372
http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=8028505
(accessed 28 February 2015)