[Page 21]
[Printed letterhead]
Marks McDonald & Witt,
Public Accountants
Auditors and Arbitrators.
Hunter House.
26 Hunter Street,
Sydney, 19th February, 1919.
[Handwritten note]
My brother's name and rank is Liet. Colonel Douglas Gray Marks D.S.O. M.C. &c
Clifford Hay, Esq.,
Premier's Office,
Macquarie Street,
Sydney
Dear Mr. Hay,
The following is the letter I arranged to forward to you when discussing the matter of my brother at yesterday's interview.
After graduating through the Senior Cadets, my brother obtained a Commission in the Militia just prior to Declaration of War, immediately thereafter he was mobilised and has been in uniform continuously since August 7, 1914 until now. He joined up with the 13th Battalion as 2nd Lieutenant, sailed with them and was a participant in the original historical landing at Gallipoli, he was on the Peninsular the whole time being one of the last Units to evacuate.
While on the Peninsula he obtained his second star and captaincy, and was appointed Adjutant of the Battalion.
In May 1915, he accompanied his Battalion to France, duly receiving promotion to Major and subsequently Lieut. Colonel. While in France he obtained the following distinctions:- Military Cross, Order of the White Eagle of Servia with Crossed Swords, and the Distinguished Service Order. He was also specially mentioned in Despatches by Field Marshal Haigh on four separate occasions, and has been noted for promotion to Brevet Major on obtaining the substantive rank of "Captain" in the Commonwealth Military Forces. He commanded the 13th Battalion (which is usually accredited with having the most famous record of any of our Battalions) from December 5th, 1917 until the withdrawal of