Bigamist, deserter - and army poster boy

[Tim]

Bigamist, deserter - and army poster boy

Tony Stephens

April 14, 2007

Marcel Caux the World War I soldier ... not what he seemed.

Inset: "A most inappropriate choice" - the army recruiting poster.

THE deceptions of Harold Katte - aka Marcel Caux - have led to red faces among Australia's defence forces because an image of the World War I soldier "hero" appears on a prize-winning design for a recruiting poster.

The Defence Minister, Brendan Nelson, said the poster reflected the military values of courage, teamwork and initiative, and the respect and honour that is due to returned servicemen and women.

In fact, Marcel Caux had twice deserted his comrades in France. After the war, and until his death at 105 in 2004, he rewrote his life story. He was a bigamist and hid the truth from the members of his different families.

The Katte/Caux story demonstrates what war can do to ordinary people.

It also shows how one deception can lead to another nearly a century later and how the past can embarrass the present, in this case when Australia is seeking recruits to bolster defence forces stretched by overseas commitments.

Caux was given a state funeral in 2004, as one of the last five Australian survivors of World War I. The French Government had honoured him as the last Australian survivor of the Battle of Pozieres.

Yet the Herald revealed the day after the funeral that the Caux story was not quite as presented to the people.

Allegations about Caux's record had led the Department of Veterans' Affairs to have his body examined.

This confirmed that, at least, the old soldier had gone to war and been wounded.

Lynette Silver, the historian who had been investigating the man's background with a military researcher, Di Elliott, and wrote a book, Marcel Caux: A Life Unravelled, said yesterday: "In many ways, Harold Katte was representative of a number of young Australians who enlisted in World War I. While we may view his incredibly colourful life with some amusement, and marvel at the way in which he managed to sustain so many lies for so long, his irregular private life and his two attempts at desertion make him a most inappropriate choice for a recruiting poster. His conduct is hardly a shining example for today's youth."

The first deception came in September 1915, when Harold Katte enlisted. He declared he was 18, when he was 16 and no more than 5ft 6in (165 centimetres) and 7st 10lb (49 kilograms).

He was wounded three times, including in 1916 at Pozieres and in 1918 near Villers-Bretonneux, on the first day of the Battle of Amiens, where his knee was shattered and his war ended. The 2nd Division, in which he served with the 17th and then the 20th Battalions, lost 6848 men killed, wounded or missing in 12 days around Pozieres. Total Australian casualties in six weeks were put at 23,300.

The soldier was still only 19 when shipped to England for rehabilitation. He had gone absent without leave for seven days in July 1917, for which he served 14 days in close confinement. He went AWL again in June 1918, when French authorities arrested him in the port of Brest, where he was said to be posing as a Frenchman. The British shot deserters, but the Australians jailed him for 10 days.

Private Katte spent much of the rest of his war in hospital before rejoining his battalion before the Battle of Amiens.

Back in Australia, he sought to put his past behind him. It is not clear how much this was due to war, a family split or unknown circumstances. In any case, he changed his name to Marcel Caux and married Irma Davis in 1929. Their marriage certificate records his birthplace as Brest.

Although there is no record of a divorce, he married Doris Young in 1949, claiming he was born in Quebec. The marriage certificate refers to him as Marcel Cause, aged 44, which would have meant he was born in 1905.

Mr Caux remained unknown to most Australians until 2000, when he emerged at a Remembrance Day service. "I'd rather forget the whole bloody business," he said in Martin Place.

When the Herald discovered there was no record of a Caux in Australia's World War I forces, Veterans' Affairs explained that he had wished to retain some anonymity. He would not have been the first soldier to enlist under a false name or to change his name afterwards.

Ms Silver and Ms Elliott discovered that records issued in the name of Marcel Caux described the war service of Harold Katte, who was born in 1899 in Marrickville, although some records say Hurstville. Ms Silver points out that he had five names, five signatures, three nationalities, three places of birth, three dates of birth, three mothers, three fathers and two wives, simultaneously.

Designed by Private David Eason, the winning poster features a Herald image of Caux, superimposed over a photo of a soldier in the Middle East.

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/04/14/...ge#contentSwap1

[Chris Henschke]

AWL twice does not make him a deserter.

Chris Henschke

[Tim]

AWL twice does not make him a deserter.

Chris Henschke

Spot on Chris, but we are talking about Journos here.

[montbrehain]

Good Story though. Excuse my ignorance , But in the main pic. what's the badge/patch on his right arm ?

[Pegasuss]

Good Story though. Excuse my ignorance , But in the main pic. what's the badge/patch on his right arm ?

Could it be a 'Buglers Badge' ? (I just noticed that is What He has in His Right Hand!)

[Jonathan Saunders]

A colourful character. It seems to me he did his fair share during the Great War.

[BeppoSapone]

....Ms Silver points out that he had five names, five signatures, three nationalities, three places of birth, three dates of birth, three mothers, three fathers and two wives..

and at least two mothers-in-law.

[Auimfo]

I glutton for punishment then Beppo

Cheers,

Tim L.

[chrisharley9]

So it seems to me that he was typical soldier of his time - men do some strange things due to war & it just seems to me that journalists just want to sully someones reputation - his private life is his private life - his service career is AN EXAMPLE TO TODAYS YOUTH

Chris

[auchonvillerssomme]

I have a nice book called the Last ANZAC Lest We Forget. Its tells the human story of ordinary men who lived in an extraordinary time. Who are we to judge.

mick

[Ozzie]

Journos...Mmmmm. A certain person made certain posts on a certain forum and these were lifted without permission for a certain publication with no acknowledgement to the origional posts.

I believe it happens to Chris B endlessly.

In regard to the above, he fought, he served; what the hell does his life after the war, have to do with anyone other than his own family?

Cheers

Kim

[auchonvillerssomme]

Journos...Mmmmm. A certain person made certain posts on a certain forum and these were lifted without permission for a certain publication with no acknowledgement to the origional posts.

I believe it happens to Chris B endlessly.

In regard to the above, he fought, he served; what the hell does his life after the war, have to do with anyone other than his own family?

Cheers

Kim

Flipping heck can you be anymore mysterious?!

I have some bits and pieces of an Australian Signaller whose documents tell us he changed his name 3 times, from memory the last time being in the 1940's. Who can possibly know the reason now.

Mick

[SteveGarnett]

Pardon me for asking but why did the historians wish to unravel his life in the first place? He was underage when he enlisted and though had gone awol twice had both times, eventually, returned to his unit. To me his military record is beyond reproach and his personal record is his own private affair, whether right or wrong.

[Chris Henschke]

The same story, by the same journalist, with some paragraphs copied word for word, was published in the Sydney Morning Herald in August, 2004.

I think this has been reprinted to coincide with a book launch.

[Ozzie]

Mick, sent you a PM.

Don't want to name names as might get the forum in trouble, but those that know what they have done, if they see this, will know the wrong they have done.

Cheers

Kim

[auchonvillerssomme]

Could a veteran elect not to have his or her army records available to the public?

Mick

[DaveMurphy]

Could a veteran elect not to have his or her army records available to the public?

Mick

Mick,

I seem to remember that you can. When I joined the Navy (about 11 years back) I think I remember a tick box or line stating something along the lines of 'Do you agree for your service details/records to be used for historical purposes'. Pretty sure I ticked yes, so I assume you can tick no without any particular retribution, I guess that means you can then rescind your permission if you want to.

I also guess that the government still owns the information regardless, and may be used by them after a certain period... I am pretty sure the same question is on our (Australian) census papers each time we do it.

The way I see it, although some information you may not want known.. history is what it is, and shouldn't be altered or hidden away forever.., not in a democracy anyway. Sure it may be 'read' or 'interpreted' a certain way, but no-one 'owns' history, not even their particular part in it.

IMHO this chap is quite typical of an Australian soldier of the period. They were not all angels or heroes. For the few who we celebrate, there are many many more with stories much like this bloke.

The other thread I have running on 'our greatest Australian general' Sir John Monash..., guess what, he was a adulterer who had a wartime mistress Lizzie Bentwich but that seems to be OK...!

Dave

[ChrisBryett]

Mick,

I seem to remember that you can. When I joined the Navy (about 11 years back) I think I remember a tick box or line stating something along the lines of 'Do you agree for your service details/records to be used for historical purposes'. Pretty sure I ticked yes, so I assume you can tick no without any particular retribution, I guess that means you can then rescind your permission if you want to.

IDave

Dave, from what I have heard this is the case for WW2 and forward. There has been a few folk suggest that have had comprehensive WW2 service and sealed their record to ensure little can be said to the contrary.

I don't think the WW1 boys can do that but after all its only their pay record that is open and online.

Chris

[auchonvillerssomme]

My question was prompted by the book i mentioned in my previous post 'The Last ANZAC Lest We Forget' I'm not sure when the Australian records became available but were they available when these men were still alive?

And I'm a bit confused by Chris who says 'I don't think the WW1 boys can do that but after all its only their pay record that is open and online'

It certainly isn't.

Mick

[Max]

AWL twice does not make him a deserter.

The fact that he was caught in Brest posing as someone other than what he was hardly implies that he had just forgotten to report back for duty.

Andy

[DaveMurphy]

I'm not sure when the Australian records became available but were they available when these men were still alive?

Mick

They have been available for some years, but much the same as the UK records, you had to pay and prove next of kin, or permission from the NOK.

Dave

[1st AIF]

I recently bought the book by Lynette Silver and was disgusted with her fabrications and dodgy conclusions. Here is a copy of the letter I just sent her:

Dear Lynette Silver,

I have just bought and read your book on Marcel Caux. I am very disappointed in your book. You have character assassinated this war hero. Your book has serious mistruths and poor conclusions. You can hardly hide your contempt for the man and seem horrified that despite trying to prove him a fraud he was actually a three times wounded war hero who fought as a frontline infantryman for most of the duration that Australian were committed to the Western Front. He fought in some of Australia's most bloody battles.

The most serious sensationalism in your book is to declare Marcel/Harold a deserter when in fact all he did was go AWL for 15 minutes on 13 Jul 1917 in a rear area. (You claim he "deserted" for a week). Desertion is a particularly serious crime and for Australians to found guilty of desertion usually included a long period of absence and a clear intent not to return. You have slandered this man's name and even intimate that he should have been shot for his 15 minutes of transgression.

Your whole story about his heading to Brest as a deserter is rubbish. His records indicate he was sent to the 20 Casualty clearing Station. From there the normal course was to go to a hospital. He probably thought it novel to go to a French Hospital (6th French Complimentary, then Hospital de la Marine) so posed as a Frenchman until he was found out. He was then sent to an allied hospital, 10th General. He was not charged for this although he was escorted back to his unit after his discovery and spent a few days in a military prison.

The fact is Marcel:

1. Was so keen to join the AIF he lied about his age;
2. According to you when he was found to be underage he was so keen he stowed away with his battalion;
3. At Pozieres he was wounded in action but heroically stayed at his post;
4. Continuously fought with his battalion through Flers/Geuedecourt and the bitter Somme winter of 1916/17;
5. Fought in all the battles of 3rd Ypres, Menin Road, Polygon Wood, Broodseinde and Passchendaele - the most bitter and costly battles in our history;
6. Was wounded in action near Villers Bret. in April 1918 but still came back to his unit when others would have taken an option of returning to Australia given his fighting record.
7. Was wounded a third time during the triumphant Battle of Amiens, Australia's biggest victory, which k.o'ed from the war.
8. Pretty much survived three full years of hard fighting for the duration of the AIF's involvement on the Western Front.
9. Wow - what a man!

The fact that Marcel made it through, was wounded 3 times all by the time he was 19 is the stuff of legends.

He most certainly would have killed men, seen his comrades killed, had others try and kill him - time and time again. No wonder he wanted to forget it.

Very, very few men in Australia's military history would have seen so much action and been wounded as many times as this war hero.

What Marcel did after the war is his business. To draw an illogical conclusion that he split from his family because he was a deserter is poppycock. He was not a deserter - this is your fabrication. Family's in any case had no access to his army records.

For you to put pressure on the government to have his corpse inspected is unfathomable.

I feel you really owe an apology to his memory. Your book is littered with dozens of negative, fanciful, dodgy conclusions designed to denigrate his reputation. It comes across as if you were trying to profit from his story, were disappointed with your results so sensationalised it to keep your sales up at the expense of Marcel's reputation.

Also for the records Marcel was most likely a bugler as this position was reserved for shorter men who might not have made the height limit and also for very young men.

Also for the record the only proof of service the men received upon discharge was a cloth backed discharge certificate and a Returned from Active Service (RAS) badge. Very few of these records now exist so it is no big deal that Harold lost or destroyed his.

It is a tragedy that you still persist in trying to profit from this book and have it on sale still when it is such a travesty.

Regards,

Len Kelly

[Moonraker]

His service record is now available online.

search box

I seem unable to provide a direct link, but enter "Caux", "1914" and "1918".

Moonraker

Edit: CGM has helpfully provided a direct link in the next thread.

[CGM]

LINK to service record of Harold KATTE

KATTE Harold (aka CAUX Marcel)

Service Number - 3863

Place of Birth - Hurstville NSW

Place of Enlistment - Sydney NSW

Next of Kin - (Mother) KATTE Rodda

Bar Code: 8332004

CGM

[Auimfo]

I can see where Ms Silver has assumed Katte/Caux was AWL for 7 days and not 15 mins - she has clearly mis-read the service file and relied on the summary of his service prepared in 1922 rather than the actual B103 form.

On the B103 there are two particular entries about this.

The first is dated 6/7/17 and informs of his movement from Etaples to Havre.

The second is an entry dated 20/7/17 stating he had been charged for being AWL between 9.30pm and 9.45pm on 13/7/17.

Both these entries also appear on the 1922 summary but omits the date of the second entry, 20/7/17. Therefore the two entries now appear to be one and can be misunderstood to be one single entry dated 6/7/17 stating he'd moved to Havre where he was charged with being AWL until 13/7/17. (i.e. 7 days)

Although this explains Ms Silver's mistake about the incident, it remains unforgivable for her to label Katte/Caux a deserter based on such flimsy research. His record reflects that he served very honourably and was only blemished by some exceedingly minor infractions common to a great many other Australian soldiers serving in the Great War.

Cheers,

Tim L.