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4644 Warrant Officer Allan Henry Marsh (surname underlined)
arents: Mr. and Mrs. H.J. Marsh of Rotorua (town underlined)

Allen Marsh was born at Tauranga on the 19th April 1920. His education was received at the Oropi School, Tauranga, where he obtained his Proficiency Certificate. The games he played were cricket, tennis and football. He was employed on general farm duties on his father's farm at Ngongotaha. On the 2nd October 1939 he applied for war service in the R.N.Z.A.F.

Warrant Officer Marsh was enlisted for aircrew training on the 24th November, 1940 at the Ground Training School, Levin, and on the 30th January, 1941 embarked on the "Aorangi" at Auckland to proceed to Canada for training under the Empire Air Training Scheme.

Shortly after arrival in Canada, Warrant Officer Marsh was posted on the 6th February, (redacted 1941) to No. 3 Wireless School, Winnipeg, Manitoba, and proceeded on the 7th July (redacted 1941) to No. 4 Bombing and Gunnery School, Fingal, Ontario. Here on the 4th August (redacted 1941) he was awarded his wireless operator air gunner's badge and promoted to Sergeant. He was further promoted to Flight Sergeant on the 1st August, 1942 and was made a warrant officer on the 1st August 1943. Meanwhile, on the 10th August, 1941 he had proceeded to No. 1 "Y" Depot, Halifax, Nova Scotia to await embarkation to the United Kingdom.

Having arrived in England on the 15th September, 1941 Warrant Officer Marsh was held at No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth until the 29th September, when he was posted to No. 1 Signals School, Cranwell, Lincolnshire. This was followed on the 22nd December, 1941 by his posting to No. 3 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit. At the conclusion of his training here, late in December 1942 he proceeded to the Middle East on posting to No. 221 (Naval Co-operation) Squadron to which he reported in the 19th January 1942. He remained with this squadron until the 25th January 1943 when he was posted to No. 38 Squadron, also a naval co-operation squadron operating in the Middle East.