James’ occupation and marital status on enlistment in 1914 was detailed as a farmer, who was single.
- Date of Birth – 4 March 1896, Dunbar, Scotland1National Archives of Australia. https://www.naa.gov.au/. NAA: B884, N100204 Item ID– 5681997. Accessed 6 August 2024.
- Parents – James Marr and Mary Punton, Dunbar, East Lothian, Scotland.
- Enlisted – 31 August 1914, Sydney, New South Wales. Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board Transport A19 Afric on 18 October 1914.2University of NSW AIF project https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=187722. Accessed 6 August 2024.
- Regimental Number – 5853National Archives of Australia. https://www.naa.gov.au/. NAA: NAA: B2455, Marr James Item ID –8207852. Accessed 6 August 2024.
- Aged at embarkation – 194Australian War Memorial https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1814950. Accessed 6 August 2024.
- Military service – 1st Battalion, E Company, Rank – Corporal5Virtual War Memorial Australia, https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/155635. Accessed 6 August 2024. James served in Egypt, Gallipoli, and the Western Front, and was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.
- Returned to Australia – 8 April 1919.
- James also served in WWII (Service Number N100204)6National Archives of Australia. https://www.naa.gov.au/. NAA: B884, N100204 Item ID – 5681997. Accessed 6 August 2024. enlisting on 4 July 1940, a leading hand, who was married, with his next of kin given as his wife Emily Ada Marr.7Virtual War Memorial Australia, https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/1704768. Accessed 6 August 2024. James was discharged on 15 April 1941 with the rank of Lance Sergeant.8Department of Veterans Affairs, DVA’s Nominal Rolls, https://nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au/veteran?id=315163&c=WW2#R. Accessed 6 August 2024.
- Died – 2 November 1974, Cessnock, New South Wales.9NSW Birth Death and Marriages, https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/ Death 58829/1974, Parents James and Mary. Accessed 6 August 2024.
- Cremated at Beresfield Crematorium10Find a Grave.com. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/193586190/james-marr. Accessed 6 August 2024.
James Marr (1853-1922) and Mary Punton (1856-1937) from Dunbar, East Lothian, Scotland, had eight children following their marriage in about 1878 – George (1878- ); Elizabeth [Betsy] (1881- ); Mary (1884- ); Janet (1886-1973); Catherine (1889- ); Isabella (1891- ); James (1896-1974) and Andrew (1898-1917).
James’ younger brother, Andrew Marr (1897-1917) of the 1st/7th Battalion, Gordon Highlanders, was killed in action in France, aged 20, on the 20 November 1917.11Commonwealth War Graves Commission, https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/338601/andrew-marr/. Accessed 7 August 2024.
James Marr, a farmer in Redbank, Araluen, married Emily Ada Digby, from Araluen (1894-1966) on 1 July 192112NSW Birth Death and Marriages, https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/ Marriage 11512/1921, Braidwood. Marr Maurice J and Digby Emily A. Accessed 6 August 2024. in Braidwood, and had five children – Jean (1920-2011);13NSW Birth Death and Marriages, https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/ Birth – 8418/1920. Parents James and Marian D, Registered in Paddington. Accessed 9 August 2024., John Andrew (1922-2003); Mary Joyce (1925-2012); Robert J (Bobby) (1926-1932)14Maitland Daily Mercury (NSW : 1894-1939), Monday 12 September 1932, p 8. and Douglas (1929-2015).
William Alfred Digby (1864-1946), a farmer at Hinton, near Maitland NSW, married Ellen Waters (1868-1913) at St David’s Church, Arthur Street, Surrey Hills on 6 September 1887 and they had nine children – Reuben James (1888-1971); Mary (1890-1890); Edith A. (1891-1920); Emily Ada (1894-1966); Minnie Winifred (1896-1952); Herbert (1898-1986); Alfred Claude (1900-1964); William Harold (1906-1981) and Allan Victor (1913-1977).
In 1924 James Marr was convicted of bigamy15Maitland Weekly Mercury (NSW : 1894-1931), Saturday 5 July 1924, p 3. ‘at the Maitland Quarter Sessions … James Marr was charged with that he did on December 21 1917, at Upper Keith Cottage, Humbie, Scotland, marry Marion Deas Doughty and that on July 1, 1921, at Braidwood, in the State of New South Wales, he did marry Emily Ada Digby … Marr said he was in the 1st Battalion of the A.I.F. his regimental number being 585. He had been in Sutton Veny camp … his wife [Marion] refused to come to Australia. … she [Marion] would not leave her parents. Apart from this Marr had a good character and a good military record’. ‘Jury had strongly recommended him to mercy and to treat him as a first offender. There was no doubt he had committed the offence, but apart from that, the evidence showed that he was a man of excellent character. There was no doubt also that if he sent accused to gaol his wife and children in Australia would suffer, and in the circumstances, and especially in view of the recommendation by the jury, he [the Judge] bound accused over in the sum of £50, and one surety in £50, to come up for sentence within two years if called upon. 16Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate (NSW : 1876-1954), Thursday 3 July 1924, p 6.
James and Emily’s son, John Andrew Marr (1922-2003), who was born on 8 May 192217NSW Birth Death and Marriages, https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/ Birth – 14593/1922. Parents Maurice J and Emily A, Registered in Braidwood. Accessed 6 August 2024. in Araluen, served in WWII. (Service Number NX121681 (N155909))18National Archives of Australia. https://www.naa.gov.au/. NAA: B883, NX121681 Item ID – 5669060. Accessed 6 August 2024. John enlisted in the militia on 5 November 1941, transferring to the A.I.F. on 2 October 1942. His occupation was given as a gardener, who was single, and his next of kin was nominated as his mother, Emily Ada Marr, of Pelican Flats, NSW.19Virtual War Memorial Australia, https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/1561759. Accessed 6 August 2024. John was discharged on 14 August 1946 with the rank of Private.20Department of Veterans Affairs, DVA’s Nominal Rolls, https://nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au/veteran?id=229146&c=WW2#R. Accessed 6 August 2024.
James Marr was also known as Maurice James Marr. Maurice James Marr, a Shire labourer and Emily Ada Marr are noted in the 1937 electoral rolls at Allynbrook, New England, NSW.