Private Mark Walter Proctor – 9th Battalion Infantry

Private Mark Walter Proctor
9th Battalion Infantry.
Mark Proctor was born in Great Harward, Lancashire, England in 1889. After serving three years with Notts and Derby Militia he emigrated to Australia in 1912.
Queensland Railways provided employment for a couple of years until he decided to join the Infantry, 9th Battalion on 31 August 1914 at Townsville. Mark sailed for Europe aboard the P&O ship S.S.Omrah.and participated in the landing on Gallipoli.
Injuries suffered in France and Belgium saw him transferred to England for convalescence which lasted a number of weeks and it was during this time that he met and subsequently married Agnes Frost from Sussex on 4th July 1917.
On the 6th June 1918 Mark was invalided back to Australia for discharge and Agnes followed 6 months later.
In 1919 he participated in the Queensland Government ballot for small farms made available to returning servicemen and was successful in obtaining Lot 101 in Settlement Road. This property of approx. 8 acres was situated just across the bridge on the left side outbound.
After the death of Agnes, Mark lived in The Gap with his daughter Connie until his death in 1984 aged 96 years.