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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Private Thomas Marshall


PaulC78

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Hi chaps, another headstone inscription from Manchester Southern Cemetery:

 

In loving memory of
Private THOMAS MARSHALL
who died March 28th 1918,
aged 40 years.
He answered the call.
Also of GERONICA (GEORGIE)
the beloved wife of
W. ROBERTS MARSHALL,
who died May 17th 1928,
aged 57 years.
"A bountiful lady of great heart."

 

I can't find any record of a casualty with this name for the date given, either in the CWGC database, SDGW or Soldier's Effects. I know there's not much to go on but I'm posting this just in case anyone else can find something.

 

Maybe worth taking a chance on the death certificate?

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I presume he must be the 40 year old whose death was registered at Chorlton in the March quarter of 1918.

 

Well worth a shot at the death certificate. It looks as though it's going to be the only obvious piece of documentation. Can't see a likely candidate in the pension or service papers. And there's no mention of an obituary in the Manchester newspapers.

 

We'd have to keep our fingers crossed that the certificate confirms him as a serving soldier or gives clear evidence of a death through a war related matter. There will then be the important secondary issue of then trying to ID him in military records - CWGC will not commemorate someone only vaguely referred to as, say, a "soldier" - we need at the least to ID regiment/corps and, preferably a full ID, all of which could be tricky if he was only home service.

 

The In From the Cold Project will be happy to advise you on how to take this forward if it looks like a runner and you  wish to make the submission yourself. On the other hand, if we agree it looks like a runner, we'll be happy to take it forward on your behalf and will be ahppy to refund you the cost of getting the certificate. Either way, I'd appreciate you lettign me know what's what.

 

John

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The Council records show date of death as 1st April rather than 28th March.  Quite a difference, but not sure what that means.

Tim

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Look like he might be Thomas Marshall 3414 Labour Corps in the pension files (albeit the number is a E Yorks one). This ones next of kin is his brother William Roberts Marshall of 106 Heald Grove,Rusholme.

 

Enl 12 6 1916. Discharged 18 12 1917 with Pernicious Anaemia. Result of ordinary military service in one unsuited. UK Service.

 

Start page of his file

http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/1114/miuk1914a_085570-01350?pid=548854&backurl=http://search.ancestry.co.uk//cgi-bin/sse.dll?_phsrc%3DnzN54%26_phstart%3DsuccessSource%26usePUBJs%3Dtrue%26indiv%3D1%26db%3Dbritisharmy%26gss%3Dangs-d%26new%3D1%26rank%3D1%26gsfn%3Dthomas%26gsfn_x%3D1%26gsln%3Dmarshall%26gsln_x%3D1%26MSAV%3D-1%26MS_AdvCB%3D1%26cpxt%3D1%26cp%3D11%26catbucket%3Drstp%26uidh%3Da63%26pcat%3D39%26fh%3D15%26h%3D548854%26recoff%3D%26ml_rpos%3D16&treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=nzN54&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true#?imageId=miuk1914a_085570-01350

 

 

Edited by Hywyn
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Although he died a few months after discharge I can't see anything regarding deceased in the file so it looks as if the death certificate will have to

 

match the reason discharged

and

match the address

 

to make it a goer?

 

 

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He should usually have an effects record somewhere as although already discharged he was deceased before the war gratuity was paid (he was entitled as he had more than 6 months home service).

Craig

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Well spotted Hywyn! The burial register confirms the address so this is definitely our man. I've also found his MIC and SWB roll entry, but still nothing in Soldier's Effects.

 

I'll send off for the DC, I reckon there's enough info here to make it worth a punt.

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I can't see any obvious notes in that record to state he had died - normally there'll be some note added.
 

That may explain the apparent lack of an effects record - if the army weren't told he was dead then the effects branch wouldn't usually have dealt with his records and the paymasters would instead.

Craig

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10 hours ago, PaulC78 said:

I'll send off for the DC, I reckon there's enough info here to make it worth a punt.

Indeed. His poor medical condition seems to have a number of aspects which may make it easier to link a cause of death. Of course, he may have been killed by a runaway tram.

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Result! I now have the DC and cause of death is confirmed as Pernicious Anaemia.

 

John, do you want me to send the details to you or Terry?

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