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Frederick Marshall, 5th Lancers


Mark Crame

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Hi all

 

I've just started researching a couple of men whose war graves lie nearby in the churchyard at Covehithe in Suffolk and was wondering if any of you might be able to help me by adding any further details you might be able to find on them. I've done the CWGC/MIC (listing)/QSA/Google bit so far and come up with the following base to work from but know there is a lot more info out there than I have access to currently. The reason for this particular research being that my employer (a homeless charity) is looking to assist in maintaining some local war graves as a wellbeing activity for some of those we help and I've volunteered to take the lead with researching the men who lie beneath the headstones as this is my own particular passion; Covehithe churchyard was an example suggested to us and has become my starting point. Later, subject to funding, subscription to the various online paid resources should hopefully be forthcoming if the project gets a greenlight so I've decided to start with these two men in advance to strengthen our case while relying on the goodwill of members of this forum. I'm particularly interested in this soldier as he is from the sister regiment that my great grandfather served with from 1905-1914 (and potentially met, but of course supposition has no place in historical fact!).

 

Many thanks in advance for any assistance you might be able to give, it will be appreciated by more than just myself!

 

regards

 

Mark

 

 

CWGC

Private MARSHALL, F

Service Number 4336

Died 20/11/1917

Aged 43

5th (Royal Irish) Lancers

Son of Thomas and Esther Marshall; husband of Ellen Marshall, of Marsh Cottage, Covehithe. Born at Braintree,.

 

Local memorial, Covehithe Churchyard: Frederick W Marshall

 

Medal card of Marshall, Frederick

Corps    Regiment No     Rank

Lancers SL/4336  Private

 

QSA Cavalry Rolls: 4336    Private    Marshall    F    5th Lancers Queens South Africa Medal

 

Number 4308 joined on 8th January 1894

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That's great to know his service records are out there Craig, those two will prove excellent once we get the funding! Thanks

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28 minutes ago, Mark Crame said:

That's great to know his service records are out there Craig, those two will prove excellent once we get the funding! Thanks

What I would do, as it's to try and help you case initially, is to use a free trial to get them from FMP or try the local library (if it still exists). Not often there are 2 sets remaining and the info may impress someone enough to sway them in your favour.

Craig

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Two sets is indeed quite stunning; my great grandfather's were blitzed so all I have is a couple of certificates and a bunch of photographs/postcards plus the odd bit from regimental records and diaries. Sill allowed me to piece together an article published here for the centenery of his wounding though: https://mxdoc.com/britain-at-war-magazine-2014-11.html

 

The £1 trial doesn't give access to military records though...but the Ops Manager will be impressed with what I've got so far on these two and I'll be visiting both men in the morning when I finish my shift to fill it out with photographs which always helps.

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4 minutes ago, Mark Crame said:

Two sets is indeed quite stunning; my great grandfather's were blitzed so all I have is a couple of certificates and a bunch of photographs/postcards plus the odd bit from regimental records and diaries. Sill allowed me to piece together an article published here for the centenery of his wounding though: https://mxdoc.com/britain-at-war-magazine-2014-11.html

 

The £1 trial doesn't give access to military records though...but the Ops Manager will be impressed with what I've got so far on these two and I'll be visiting both men in the morning when I finish my shift to fill it out with photographs which always helps.

It used to be a free trial that did - they changed the setup a few months ago, they changed the subscription levels for new users so must have altered the trial at the same time.

Craig

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Popped by on my way home from work this morning. A bit of care and attention needed here so a worthwhile project in the making.

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Medal Index Certificate gives:

 

Victory Medal, British War Medal, 1914 Star, Silver War Badge. Date of Entry 12/11/1914. Discharged 08/01/1916. 

 

Is there usually mention of the Death Plaque? I have Ciaran Byrne's book on 5th Lancers, 'the Harp and Crown', but note that Frederick Marshall is not listed in the other ranks killed.

WO 372_13_131986-2.jpg

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1 hour ago, Mark Crame said:

Medal Index Certificate gives:

 

Victory Medal, British War Medal, 1914 Star, Silver War Badge. Date of Entry 12/11/1914. Discharged 08/01/1916. 

 

Is there usually mention of the Death Plaque? I have Ciaran Byrne's book on 5th Lancers, 'the Harp and Crown', but note that Frederick Marshall is not listed in the other ranks killed.

WO 372_13_131986-2.jpg

The plaques are not noted on the cards.

Another tip - create a free account with Ancestry and you can see the Medal Index cards (full colour & double sided) for free.

Craig

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I have an ancestry account from before, why did I not think of that?

 

Just got back from an hour in the record office - they have findmypast so I''ve been through the records. Frederick's tale is a tragic one for sure. Enlisted at Canterbury aged 21 yrs 1 month for 7 years service and 5 years reserve, 3rd Feb 1894, posted to 5th Lancers on 5th feb.

 

Home 7//2/94 - 12/9/94

India 13/9/94 - 5/4/98

South Africa 5/4/98 - 11/8/02

Home 12/8/02 - 2/2/06

reserve 16/11/02 - 4/8/14

Mobilised Home 5/8/14 - 11/11/14

UK Force France 12/11/14 - 23/4/15

Home 24/4/15 - 8/1/16 on termination of period of engagement at Dublin, aged 43 years.

 

21 years 340 Days service. 13 years 157 days for his pension.

 

Awards and Decorations:

 

Queens South Africa Medal and Clasps Orange Free State, Defence of Ladysmith, Elandsgaate, Transvaal

Kings South Africa Medal and Clasps South  Africa 1901, South Africa 1902

1914 Star

British War Medal

Victory Medal

Silver War Badge

 

Military Character - Good during service

Character awarded in accordance with Kings Regulations - hardworking, sober, trustworthy

 

Married Ellen Mary Napthine 19/10/1914 and had a child, Herbert Frederick Marshall 3/3/1916

 

 

A good, long serving and steadfast veteran with an enviable chest of recognition and everything looks rosy. Then I read the pension records; I've read the medical report (no time to transcribe) and it was just grim and Frederick suffered badly for the shortened remainder of his life.

 

5/5/1915 Invalided home from France. Bronchytis  and laryngitis caused by active service.

 

Tuberculosis of lungs and larynx.

 

No employment since April 1916. No income.

 

22/2/17 Total incapacity.

 

(No time to transcribe but weight had dropped from 13 stone to 10 stone amongst other things I recall. Back in the week).

 

Qui Seperabit.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Been through all the relevant sources I can find and taken info from official history, war diaries etc. Placing it here in case anyone ever goes searching for information on Frederick.

 

In the churchyard of St Andrews, Covehithe lies a white headstone of Portland stone erected to mark the grave of a soldier buried there during the winter of 1917, one grave amongst the 173,226 cared for by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in the United Kingdom.

Born on 3rd January 1873 in the parish of Braintree, Essex, Frederick Marshall was the son of Thomas and Esther with whom he lived before enlisting at the age of 21 years and one month, giving his trade as Potman - a worker in a public house. Attested on 3rd February 1894, Frederick was certified as fit for duty with the Corps of Lancers, part of the elite Cavalry of the Line. He is recorded as standing 5ft 9½ inches tall, weighing 146 pounds with a chest measurement from 34-36 inches. With brown hair, grey eyes and a fair complexion his only recorded distinctive mark was a mole on his left shoulder. Posted two days later to 5th (Royal Irish) Lancers for a period of seven years with the Colours and five in the Reserve he joined his Regiment on 7th February 1894 with the regimental number 4336.



Service at home for the following 218 days saw Frederick training to become a cavalry soldier. The day began at 5:30am with the tidying of barrack rooms before moving onto stable duty where the regiments horses were tended to with mucking out, grooming and feeding before the recruits were released for their own breakfast. A parade followed at 7am with inspection by the squadron commander before three hours of instruction in the riding school after which the horses were once again groomed and the saddlery cleaned and polished. The afternoon saw foot drill and a physical training session before tending to the horses once more and the subsequent cleaning of the recruit's dress uniform, footwear, sword, rifle and webbing. Men would also be detailed for guard duty once a week and as stable orderly on occasion. During this time a lancer would, learn to control a horse, to drill and exercise with rifle, sword and lance both on horseback and dismounted and to perform all the duties and skills required for service with his regiment. For Frederick, this period also included 6 days hospitalisation from 26th April, recorded as 'Sore Throat from a slight chill' and a further 27 days from 7th June with Follicular Tonsillitis, treated with tonics, before being declared fit for service on 8th September. He was subsequently posted to India for a period lasting 3 years and 205 days, embarking with the rest of the regiment on the SS Victoria on 13th September 1894, being stationed in Muttra on arrival.

The General Officer Commanding's inspection in March 1895 declared 5th Lancers: "...in very good order and particularly fit for active service. The men are well inured to India, their conduct and health are good. They are a smart Regiment with very good Non-commissioned Officers." There followed a period in Kalana from 15th April 1895 before a return to Muttra on 7th October. Here, Frederick was hospitalised again from 27th October until 7th November, 21st November until the 27th and once more from 19th December until the 4th February 1895, the doctors noting 'Climate Mild - Winter' each time. Frederick was further hospitalised with Ague from 21st June 1896 for five days; 'Climate Mild - Quinine' and again from 14th July for 24 days: 'Contagion, Slight...' 
At the conclusion of the last parade of the drill season of 1896-1897, the Regiment's Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Chisholme, wheeled the Regiment into line and sounded the 'Officers' call. They galloped out to him, when, returning their salutes, he said: "Gentlemen, I have called you out to look at such a regiment of cavalry as you are unlikely ever to see again. Turn about and look at the Regiment". The official history notes: "They turned and looked, and the youngest amongst them knew that the Colonel was right, as with pride they gazed on that long line of five strong squadrons, standing motionless under the Indian sun; not a horse out of its place, and intervals and distances correct enough to more than satisfy the keenest of critics. Their Indian soldiering was drawing to a close, and such regiments, they knew, did not exist out of India."

During the summer of 1897, a severe outbreak of cholera saw some fatalities occur in the Regiment. Frederick escaped this but reported sick for 11 days from 26th October 1897. Meanwhile, tensions were mounting in South Africa and on 29th January 1898, the regiment handed over their horses to a detachment of the 9th Lancers and left Muttra by train the following day. Embarking aboard Royal Indian Marine Ship 'Clive' on 8th February, the General Officer Commanding Bengal described them as: "A first rate Regiment in first rate order. I never saw a better. It is in every way fit for active service. I am sorry to lose it from my command." 

5th Lancers, consisting of 18 Officers and 522 other ranks, arrived off Durban on 24th February, disembarking on 5th March due to a case of smallpox amongst the native crew before proceeding by rail to Pinetown where they camped under canvas. Entraining at 1.30pm on 10th March, they reached Ladysmith at 5am the following morning, taking over the horses and quarters of 9th Lancers. Here, Frederick was hospitalised twice, firstly with fever lasting 32 days from 11th April and then with ague from 6th June for another three days. 

Frederick's documents record his being stationed at Maritzburg from 10th October 1898, though 5th Lancers records state 24th October as the date they left Ladysmith, arriving on the 29th. He spent fourteen days in hospital here from 23rd March 1899 for a facial wound: "Injury - contusion wound on left cheek" following which a court of enquiry on 9th May 1899 recorded: "Opinion will not interfere with his future efficiency" though he was to spend 13 days in hospital from 30th August with neuralgia of the face, a stabbing, burning, and often severe pain due to an irritated or damaged nerve. 

Excitement at this time amongst the regiment that war was probable saw a local newspaper write "In appreciation of the Transvaal's assurance that they are desirous of a peaceful solution of the crisis, the 5th Lancers spent Sunday morning at the camp in sharpening their lances and sabres.'' 

On 25th September, C Squadron and the Maxim gun detachment were ordered to leave for Ladysmith with their horses in one train and the men in another in open trucks. A, D and Headquarters Squadrons followed by march route the day after, arriving on 2nd October. Arriving at 3am, C Squadron detrained and rode to the camp to be met with rumours of large gatherings of Boers on the Drakensberg and was employed patrolling. War was subsequently declared on 11th October 1899, the regiment being informed the following day. The troops marked their appreciation of the situation by cheering. At 5:30 am on the 16th, 5th Lancers and some mounted infantry rode seven miles to the west of Acton Holmes; the next morning A and C Squadrons returned to Ladysmith while D Squadron reconnoitred towards Mount Tintwa, where they were shelled by a large force. The shells, however, did not burst. Then came the 5th Lancers first battle.



At 11am on the 20th, General French left Ladysmith with C Squadron and the Natal Carabineers for Modder Spruit, C Squadron continuing towards Elandslaagte where they captured two patrols of Boers before the force returned to Ladysmith. D Squadron subsequently marched to Modder Spruit and, with four squadrons of Imperial Light Horse, were sent to clear a ridge. C Squadron returned, escorting 21st Battery Royal Field Artillery and joined 5th Dragoon Guards, manoeuvring against the enemy north of the railway. On pushing the Boers back, they cut the fences and crossed the railway to the east, halting in the vicinity of Elandslaagte station. Shortly after 3pm General French ordered the attack. The infantry were sent onto the ridge, the Boer guns firing as they appeared, and at 4pm 21st RFA came into action against the enemy's artillery at 4000 yards range. D Squadron, supported by the Imperial Light Horse, now gave chase to a party galloping south, pursuing to within a short distance of the Boer main position before retiring under heavy fire while C Squadron, 5th Lancers and C Squadron, 5th Dragoons remained in a fold on the left, their patrols capturing twenty men. As the Boers retreated, the two squadrons extended and charged. Finding the enemy a few hundred yards ahead they fought them for over a mile, spearing forty Boers before rallying, wheeling and galloping back through the still retreating crowd. 

"Then the scattered troopers were again rallied. The men fell in and cheered madly. There was something awful in the dramatic setting of the scene. The wild troopers forming in the thickening darkness, with their reeking weapons bare; the little knot of prisoners, with faces blanched in fear, herded together at the lance...This charge created the greatest terror and resentment among the Boers, who vowed at the time that they would destroy all Lancers they captured."

The enemy had been driven from a strong position of their own choosing. British losses were 5 Officers and 50 men killed, 30 Officers and 175 men wounded, mostly amongst the Infantry. 5th Lancers lost 4600 Private Kinsey and 2 horses killed with 4206 Private Trowbridge, 4876 Private Adams and some horses wounded. Boer losses were 60 killed, 150 wounded and 200 Prisoners.

Further battles followed for the 5th Lancers at Rietfontein and Lombard's Kop before Frederick and 12,000 other troops were besieged in the town of Ladysmith for 118 days from 2nd November 1899. Tasked mainly with outpost duty and 'standing-to' during the day and forming a mobile column at night, the regiment were subject to bombardment and rifle fire throughout, causing frequent casualties. On 8th December, they returned to the role of a Lancer regiment:

The regiment rode out at a gallop from Ladysmith, being shelled the whole way to Limit Hill. They continued along the Newcastle road, but being checked by very severe rifle fire from the lower slopes of Pepworth they rode in an extended column south of Long Hill, and then swinging round returned over Flag Hill to Limit Hill, where they remained for some time, being shelled. Eventually a message came from Sir George White ordering their return to Ladysmith through the shells from Mbulwana and Surprise Hill. An Officer who witnessed this retirement described it : "A grand sight they were in columns of troops opened out and shells from Mbulwana and Surprise Hill 'Long Toms' were bursting around them, and they trotted steadily and quietly through it all as though there were no such things as 961b shells. A shell dropped in the leading troop of a squadron and sent up a cloud of dust and one expected to see men and horses on the ground and confusion, but no, as the dust cleared away the Lancers were still quietly trotting along."

Meanwhile food was getting scarce, dysentery and enteric fever were making themselves felt and a plague of flies and intense heat made life difficult, as did heavy storms. One officer of 5th Lancers wrote: "Sickness very bad. Our horses suffering from short rations. Our men are splendid, one never hears a growl, they are starved, they live in tents which are worse than useless, they get wet to the skin most nights in the week and have to wear their wet clothes during the day; or, as I saw one man mount his horse with no clothes on but his cavalry cloak, his helmet and his boots. The rest of his kit he hoped to dry in the bivouac if it was a fine day. They look after their horses too. Private Snoad of my squadron has a young horse looking, in spite of short rations, quite sleek, well groomed and fit. How it is managed one does not enquire, but the rider looks as if he could do with some of his mount's sleekness. They are all the same, never a grumble, but jolly and anxious for a smack at the Boers, and though somewhat haggard and thin, keeping wonderfully fit. Gallant old Regiment!". The siege was entering its third month

6th January saw another heavy engagement. At 1pm a staff officer rode down from Manchester Post and, calling to the first 5th Lancer Officer he saw, shouted, "The cavalry are to gallop to Wagon Hill at once." They did as ordered and pulled up below the 60th Rifle's redoubt. Dismounting, the men ran up on the Northern slopes of Wagon Hill. Halting, the squadrons formed in mass. Soon after some 19th Hussars and 5th Dragoon Guards arrived and formed below them. The Times history recorded: "Suddenly and clear rang out '5th Lancers' and the squadrons were up and over the crest, and running like demons, heaven alone knew where, through a hail of bullets and a pandemonium of appalling sounds. The only course for an individual was to run straight and as hard as possible. On the squadrons sprinted, until, as if by instinct, they all fell flat below a line of boulders a foot and a half high, on the summit of the hill and close to the firing line of the 60th Rifles...the Boer guns sent shell after shell bursting on the plateau. The rifle fire was intense, and sounded to the men lying prone behind the rocks as if all the bees in Africa had been let loose - a continual buzz and hum...a little before 6 p.m., a mass of men appeared over the northern crest in rear of the Regiment. Wearing their grey infantry great coats, and with bayonets fixed, they came on at a run. The tension was extreme. Here and there the Lancers saw a gallant Devonshire man rolled over like a shot rabbit. Swinging to the right they went, their Colonel turning round, as with his sword he again directed them to swing to the left, and with a ringing cheer the mass of men charged down on the Free Staters. Mad excitement! the glorious side of war! Lieutenant Hill, in command of the right troop of C Squadron of the Regiment, flung his helmet away and cheered, and jumping up to join in the grand charge, dropped dead with a bullet through his brain. The Boers with one last wild volley, turned and bolted down the hillside, and the Devons lined the crest the Free Staters had held so successfully throughout the day. For another half hour the firing went on, then kindly night put an end to the sixteen hours of desperate fighting, and the Platrand was still held by the Ladysmith garrison... British losses were 18 officers and 150 men killed with 25 officers and 224 men wounded."

One Officer wrote: "At the end of January, extraordinary things are happening. The Cavalry are being turned into Infantry. We cannot feed our men, we cannot feed our horses, so the horses must suffer to feed the men. We have handed our lances, swords, carbines and saddles into the Ordnance Store, and drawn out rifles and bayonets in their place. We have taken our places in the defences with the infantry, and the Garrison is eating our horses. It gives one something to think about, being one of a brigade of British Cavalry suddenly turned into Infantry and ordered to eat their own horses."


The siege ended on 28th February. "At 12:30 p.m. when we were sitting in the mess tent about to begin our so called lunch, "boom" went Mbulwana, and sent a shell right over the town and away to the Western defences, a range of some 11,000 yards; but beyond remarking on the powers of a modern big gun, no one, as usual, took much notice of it. Only one shell, and, as we were soon to discover, the last to be fired into Ladysmith. Shortly after, however, we were effectually awakened and interested, for "crash" went the naval gun in the Princess Victoria battery just above our heads. The sailor guns had been silent now for many days, and as Princess Victoria fired again, we rushed out and watched her shell bursting on Long Tom's redoubt on Mbulwana...Some of us rushed up Cove Redoubt with our glasses...on every road leading to the North, were strings of wagons and Boers all over the veldt, all riding and driving for all they were worth. There was no doubt about it this time, the investing army was in full retreat." 


In the evening dusk the roads were still blocked with Boers when the relief column arrived from beyond Intombi. So ended the siege of Ladysmith.


Following the relief of Ladysmith, the Regiment moved out to Field's Farm and in April to Pound's Plateau, below Mbulwana, where the brigade was gradually rehorsed and brought up to strength with drafts from England. During May they joined the Drakensburg Defence Force. On 6th of June a patrol of A Squadron were in action with the enemy near Brackwall Station and had three men wounded: 3390 Private Skinner, who died 14th June, 4745 Private Nicholls, 3773 Private Taylor and one horse killed. Further battles were fought at Amersfort and into the Transvaal before the Regiment moved into the Cape Colony on 10th July 1901 where the regimental history records: 


"The want of space prevents a detailed account of the doings of the squadrons of the Regiment in the Cape Colony during the last stage of the war. That the work was hard, very hard, every officer and man who took part in the operations can testify. The continual chasing, for week after week, of an enemy who would not stop to fight, required the endurance and discipline of the best of troops"


On 2nd June 1902 came news of the declaration of peace and soon after the Regiment moved to East London and embarked for home, disembarking at Southampton on 21st October having lost 3 officers and 80 other ranks killed during their time in South Africa.

By the time he was posted home on 11th August 1902 after a period of 4 years and 129 days, Frederick had earned the Queens South Africa Medal with Clasps for Cape Colony, Orange Free State, the Defence of Ladysmith, Elandslaagte, and Transvaal along with the Kings South Africa Medal and Clasps for South Africa 1901 and South Africa 1902. Due to being overseas, he had served a total of 8 years, six months and four days with the colours and was therefore transferred to the First Class Reserve for a period of less than four years from 16th November 1902 until 3rd February 1906. The First Class reserve consisted of men who had completed colour service and had paid reserve commitments under their original contract. Following this, Frederick re-engaged with Section D of the Second Class Reserve on 29th January 1906, dated from 3rd February, for a further four years and once again on 10th August 1909 for four more concurrently from 3rd February 1910. He re-engaged for a final term with the Reserves from 3rd July 1914, service granted until reaching the age of 42 on 3rd January 1915. 

One month later, on 4th August 1914, Frederick Marshall was mobilised, dated 5th August, joining 6th Reserve Cavalry Regiment on 22nd August before returning to 5th Lancers and being posted to UK Force, France on 12th November for active service. Before leaving, he married Ellen Maria Napthine of Covehithe, Suffolk, on 19th October 1914. Ellen was born at nearby Bulcamp (Blything Union) workhouse in 1882, the second of five children to Charles, an agricultural labourer, and Mary Ann Napthine.

In 1914, the establishment of a cavalry regiment comprised 26 officers and 523 other ranks. The 'rank and file' of 474 men formed three squadrons divided into four troops, a squadron having 6 officers and 152 other ranks while each troop had 1 officer, and 33 other ranks. The regiment also had 528 riding horses, 74 draught horses and 6 pack horses. Cavalrymen carried a .303 Lee Enfield bolt action rifle and 1908 pattern cavalry sword, Lancers further armed with a 9ft lance featuring a steel head mounted on an ash stave.



Arriving at Rouen on 14th November, having missed the heavy fighting and long marches that typified the early months of the war for 3rd Cavalry Brigade, Frederick joined his regiment in the Ypres salient. 5th Lancers left their billets on the 19th, marching to Hooge before relieving 4th Dragoon Guards in trenches four miles from Ypres. Periodic shelling and rifle fire was experienced but no attacks, though one other rank was killed on the 20th before the regiment left the trenches and returned to billets. Here they largely remained for the next two months, initially at Doulieu before moving to Remilly on 14th January 1915 and Souverain on the 31st. Under orders to move from billets in support of 1st or 2nd Armies at short notice from 1st February, on the 12th A Squadron (4 officers and 97 other ranks) D Squadron (4 officers and 94 other ranks) and the MG Section (1 officer and 14 other ranks) moved to Ypres by motor bus, arriving at 8:30pm, being joined by C Squadron (4 officers and 105 other ranks) the following day, subsequently relieving the Essex Yeomanry at 7pm. D Squadron was assigned to act as divisional squadron, building support trenches and redoubts while the remainder manned the line, being in and out of the trenches until the 24th when they returned to billets for training which continued through until Frederick was posted out of 5th Lancers on 23rd April 1915, being invalided home from France on 5th May 1915 with bronchitis and laryngitis caused by active service. Posted to 6th Reserve Cavalry Regiment on 30th May 1915 he was finally discharged from 5th Lancers on 8th January 1916 under Paragraph 392 XXI of Kings Regulations: 'termination of his period of engagement' at Dublin, aged 43 years, having served a total of 21 years, 340 days with a pension entitlement for 13 years, 157 days service. Described as being 5ft 11 inches tall and with a chest measuring 35-37 inches, his trade was listed as Groom and his intended place of residence as 8 Redcliffe Road, Chelmsford, a two bedroom terraced house built in 1893. His 'Military Character on Discharge' was recorded as 'Good during service' and his 'Character awarded in accordance with Kings Regulations' as 'hardworking, sober, trustworthy'.

Due to his service during the First World War, Frederick was awarded the 1914 Star with a date of entry into theatre of 12th November 1914, along with the British War Medal and Victory Medal, the three known colloquially as 'Pip, Squeak and Wilfred' after contemporary cartoon characters of the time. He was subsequently granted Silver War Badge 65880 on 25th November 1916, issued to service personnel who had been honourably discharged due to wounds or sickness from military service. 

Now home, Frederick and Ellen had their only child, Herbert Frederick Marshall who was born on 3rd March 1916 at Covehithe. On 17th January 1917, Frederick was assessed for his pension and granted 25 shillings with a children's allowance of 2 shillings and sixpence from 3rd March 1916. The report of the Medical Board recorded tuberculosis of lungs and larynx, expanding: "...April '16 Chelmsford - began to be bothered with a cough and loss of weight - also coughed up some blood. Since then has got gradually worse. Oct '16 had a severe attack of haemorrhage. Had bronchitis in France 5/5/15, invalided home, also laryngitis caused by active service. Infection of lungs weakened by bronchitis contracted on active service. Looks very ill, weak and emaciated. Severe paroxysmal cough with plenty of expectoration streaked with blood. Moist ... & crepitation found at both ... ...on slightest exertion. Weight formerly 13st 2lbs, now about 10st. Result of active service. Inspection of lungs weakened by bronchitis on active service. Permanent. Totally prevents. No employment since April '16. Present weekly earnings :- Nil." The report submitted on 22nd January 1917 recorded: "Total Incapacity. 25/. a week from date of expiration of last grant and for 26 weeks from the following Wednesday. Ex 9.10.17." A further report dated 29th February recorded: "Total incapacity (100)." The Invalid Board ratified the pension at 27 shillings and sixpence with a further 5 shillings for 1 child from 4th April 1917, the last award cancelled from this date. His Service Pension was assessed as Class V and the Board's final Decision awarded: "27 shillings and sixpence for 78 weeks and 5/- for one child from 4.4.17. 18.11.20 SERVICE PENSION Thirteen (13d) pence a day for life from 4.4.17."

On 20th November 1917, at the age of 43, Frederick Marshall died, his next of kin recorded by the Commonwealth war Graces Commission as Ellen Marshall of Marsh Cottage, Covehithe.
 

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