Military History

Troy and the 16th Bn joined the South Australian Reinf. at Broadmeadows in Victoria. They embarked in Melbourne and stopped briefly with the convoy in Albany.
Embarked Melbourne per ‘Ceramic’ for Egypt 22.12.1914.
Roll Rank Private.
Roll Unit 4th Brigade, 16th Battalion, AIF.
Troy disembarked at Alexandria 3.2.1915. After a brief period of training at Abbassia, he entrained to Alexandria, joined the MEF and embarked for Gallipoli 12.4.1915. Whilst fighting at Bloody Angle, he and others from his Bn. were bombed. Troy was the only survivor in this action on the 2nd-3rd May 1915. War Correspondent Bean noted,

' a man named Troy, when the Turks attacked in the morning, was knocked senseless by a bomb. He woke to find his mates, Privates White and Gray dead beside him, and others all dead or wounded. He attempted to crawl away after dark, but was captured. Of those Australians who fought in this action, he was the only one who survived it in the hands of the Turks'. (Bean Vol 1, p595)

Troy was  was reported missing 1.5.1915. He was taken Prisoner of War in the Kaba Tepe (Gaba Tepe) Region, Turkey. Troy was then transferred to Afion Kara Hissar Camp 2.5.1915. (reported West Australian Newspaper 13.11.1915). He was confirmed as  still at Afion Kara Hissr 'Afyonkarahisar) by the American Embassy 21.2.1916. The Ottoman Red Crescent reported Troy was interned at Belemedik near Pozanti 12.3.1916. The Ottoman Red Crescent also reported that Troy had returned to Afion Kara Hissar 11.3.1917. Troy moved from Afion Kara Hissar to a new camp at Belmedik (about 900 kilometres south-east of Constantinople) in January 1916.  He was employed by the Bagdad Railway Construction Company  to work on building  the railway and tunnel through the Taurus mountains.(G. Hutchinson 2013) Troy was repatriated to England and disembarked at Dover 8.12.1918. He marched out from the Australian HQ London, to Weymouth 11.1.1919 and was listed for return to Australia.
Embarked for Australia per ‘Nevasa’ 5.3.1919.
Returned/Disembarked Fremantle 2.4.1919.
Discharged 20.4.1919.
Final Rank Private, 16th Bn. AIF.
Medical Condition POW, Health NK.
Awards and Medals 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Photos  HMAT 'Ceramic'. Photographer Josiah Barnes, photograph source AWM PB0284
              Bloody Angle'. Produced by James W.H., Swanston W.H. Photograph source AWM G01766
              Informal group of POWs held at Afyonkarahissar Camp, Turkey. Photographer unknown, photograph source AWM  P09645.001
              M J Troy. Source The Moora Herald and Midland Districts Advocate 5.11.1915 p6

Information Source
AWM PB0284. HMAT 'Ceramic'. Photographer Josiah Barnes, photograph sourced from the Pictorial Colection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM G01766, 'Bloody Angle' 1919. Produced by James W.H. Swanston W.H. Photgraph sourced from the Pictorial Collection Australian War Memorial
AWM P09645.001. Informal group of POWs held at Afyonkarahissar Camp, Turkey. Photographer unknown, photograph sourced from the Pictporial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM Embarkation Rolls Martin John Troy
Bean, C.E.W. 'Official History of Australia in the War 1914-1918' . Vo.l 1 p595. Pub. Angus & Robertson 1940.
Hutchinson, G. 'A man named Troy'. http://garriehutchinson.com/2013/01/12/a-man-named-troy/
The Moora Herald and Midland Districts Advocate
NAA: B2455, Troy Martin John
West Australian Newspaper

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