Robert Marxsen (SN 4544/Lt.) was born in Ballarat where he attended the Dana Street State School. He was a 23 year old commercial traveller when he enlisted on August 14th 1915. He left Australia in late January 1916 with the 8th Battalion on board the Themistocles. He was posted to France with the 58the Battalion in June and rapidly rose through the ranks such that by October he had begun officer training. He qualified in January 1917 but spent much of the next year engaged in further training. Lieutenant Marxsen finally rejoined the 57th Battalion in France in April 1918 but on September 3rd 1918 he was killed in action at Mont St Quentin. He is buried at Assevillers New British Cemetery, France.

Lucas’s Staffs Appreciation of Brave Men, the original Avenue register, records his name as Bob. Marxsen