Military History

Embarked Albany per HMAT ‘Marathon’ A74 for 29.7.1918.
Roll Rank Private
Roll Unit 2nd Reinforce. 11 Bn. AIF.
Greatorex disembarked at London 27.9.1918. He marched in to the 1st Training Bn. at Fovant 27.9.1918. He was Hospitalised with influenza 14.10.1918. He transferred to the Australian Army Medical Corps Details (AAMC)13.2.1919. Greatorex was demobilized 13.6.1919 and discharged from the AIF 13.6.1919. He re enlisted as Private in the British Army with the  201st Bn Machine Gun Corp, 45th Battaions - and formed part of an Australian detachment of the North Russian Relief Forces (NRRF). Greatorex embarked in July 1919 for Russia. He was allotted the new Service Number (SN) 193023. Greatorex fought at Dwina and was again employed in routing the Bolsheviks in a bayonet charge on the railway near Seleskoe. Following demobilization in December 1919, he commenced a wool sorting class at Bradford 1920. Greatorex returned to WA in April 1920 (Kalgoorlie Miner 17.4.1920)
Embarked for Australia March 1920.
Returned/Disembarked April 1920.
Discharged from AIF 13.6.1919
Final Rank Private with AAMC with AIF and after demobilization with. 21st Machine Gun Corps NRRF.
Medical Condition NK.
Awards and Medals No medals awarded as he did not particiapte in active service in WW1
Notes Greatorex’s brother, Geoffrey William Edward was killed in action during his service in WW1. NAA files note that Greatorex recorded that he served in France from 27th July 1918 to 13th June 1919. These dates do not appear consistent with the limited archival notes.
Greatorex was one of 200-300 Australian servicemen who were waiting repatriation and offered to enlist in the British Army for a further period of active service to relieve British and Allied Troops in Russia. They fought in two noted actions, one repulsing a Bolshevik attack on a railway and secondly in an attack on the Dwina front in August 1919 (Wigmore,L. 1986). Greatorex received no recognition or award for his service in Russia. Greatorex also served in WW 2 with CMF as Lieut. (W4045) Greatorex appears to have enlisted  within weeks after his brother's death when  he turned 18 years of age. His father the Rev. Theopilos Greatorex moved into the Guildford Rectory in 1918. The old Rectory no longer exists.
Photos HMAT 'Marathon'. Photographer unknown. Photograph source AWM H00329
             3rd Command Depot, Hurdcott, near Fovant, Wiltshire 1916. Photographer unknown, photograph source AWM C00610
             North Russian Relief Forces. 3 unidentified Australians from the 45th Bn. of Royal Fusiliers 1919. Photographer not known,  photograph source AWM A0469
             Greatorex, Michael. Article South Western Advertiser 27.6.1919 p2

Information Source
AWM H00329. HMAT 'Marathon'. Photographer unknown. Photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM  C00610. 3rd Command Depot, Hurdcott, near Fovant, Wiltshire 1916. Photographer unknown, photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM  A0469. North Russian Relief Forces. 3 unidentified Australians from the 45th Bn. of Royal Fusiliers 1919. Photographer not known,  photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM Embarkation Rolls- Michael Walter Sexton Greatorex
Guildford Grammar School Honour Roll
Kalgoorlie Miner
NAA: B2455, Greatorex MWS
South Western Advertiser. Greatorex, Michael.  27.6.1919 p2
Wigmore, L. in AWM. North Russian Relief. https://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/north_russia/doc.asp
Wise, H. and Co. Western Australian Post Office Directories.SLWA

The Rectory, 221 James Street, Guildford. WA.

Associated Images