Private Ben Marshall 25688 Northampton Regt, 31866 York & Lancs

[Malcolmh01]

Hi list, like many others it appears that Private Ben MARSHALL's service record has not survived so I want to get some idea of his service. He enlisted in Cromer, Norfolk (date unknown) and somehow ended up as Private 25688 in the Northamptonshire Regt; I guess a T.F. regiment. he then trnsfers as private 31866 in the 1/4th Yorks & Lancs (Hallamshire) T.F. Battalion. He died of his wounds on the 13 April 1918 and is buried at the Mendinghem Cemetery. My guess is that he was wounded at the defenceof Neuve Eglise. Can anyone give some idea of his service record from his serial numbers or any other leads. Thanks Malcolm

[MaxD]

The medal award roll (Ancestry) gives his first overseas unit as 2nd Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment then 6th Battalion Y&L and then 1/4th Y&L.  The roll shows a large number of men transferred from 2 Northamptons to 6 Y&L which a few samples of near numbers suggest was an almost immediate change from arriving in France with the Northamptons in September 1916, a short stay in a base depot and being sent to 6 Y&L where the need was greatest in October 1916.  6 Y&L had been at Gallipoli and had arrived in France in July 1916.

 

There will be more I'm sure.

 

Max

[sadbrewer]

A tree on Ancestry suggests he was William Benjamin Marshall born 1900, Middlesex, unfortunately it's not a viewable tree so I can't verify it,

Edit...forget about it...clearly wrong.

 

Another has him being b 1886, Blofield, Norfolk.

Soldiers Effects show his widow as Mabel S.

Edited 28 July , 2020 by sadbrewer

[Malcolmh01]

Hi, thanks both for getting back to me so quickly, This is Benjamin MARSHALL born 1886 in Blofield, Norfolk. His name appears on the War Memorial in the Village.

[Malcolmh01]

Crikey! There are two Ben Marshall's from Blofield, Norfolk! I am interested in the one who died of his wounds on the 13 April 1918. I also noticed how appalling my typing is in the heading. Malcolm

[clk]

Hi Malcolm,

 

His Soldiers' Effects record  names his wife, 'Mabel',  as his sole legatee. A pension claim index card shows:

Image sourced from Fold3

 

Papers for a couple of men that bracket his 25688 Northants number show that they left the UK as 3rd Battalion men:

 

25687 Self - posted overseas from 3rd Bn (renumbered to 31877 Y&L)

Image sourced from Findmypast

 

25690 Lubbock - mobilised 5.6.1916; posted 8th Battalion 6.6.1916; posted 3rd Bn 1,9.1916 and sent overseas (renumbered to 31864 Y&L)

Image sourced from Findmypast

 

On 16.10.1916 the war diary for 6/Y&L shows...

Image sourced from Ancestry.

 

I guess that Benjamin may have followed the same overseas route.

 

Regards

Chris

[RussT]

As Chris notes above, he was part of a draft of 75 ex-Northants men transferred and sent from the 17/IBD to join the 6/Bn Y&L in the field on 16/10/1916

 

The Y&L numbers in this draft were 31825 to 31899 inclusive.

 

Regards

 

Russ

[Malcolmh01]

Many thanks Chris and Russ. That's the fella I was looking for. Regards Malcolm.

[PRC]

Malcolm,

 

Just in case you were not aware, (and this will save me a bit of time when I get to writing up Blofield

 

The birth of a Benjamin Marshall, mothers’ maiden name Waters, was registered with the Civil Authorities in the Blofield District of Norfolk in the April to June quarter, (Q2), of 1886.

 

The baptism of a Benjamin Marshall, no date of birth transcribed, took place at St Andrew and St Peter, Blofield on the 6th June 1886. His parents were Benjamin, a Farmer’s man, and Emma. The family live in the parish.

https://www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/5818d73ae93790ec8b44fc49/benjamin-marshall-baptism-norfolk-blofield-1886-06-06?locale=en

 

On the 1891 Census of England & Wales the 4 year old Benjamin Marshall, born Blofield, was recorded living at 2 Perownes Farm Road, Blofield. Although he is with parents Benjamin, (aged 31, a Roadman, born Plumstead, Norfolk) and Emma, (aged 30, born Braydestone, Norfolk), they were actually in the household of an elderly uncle and aunt, Cornelius and Maria Waters. Cornelius was the Surveyor of the Parish Highways.

 

Cornelius Waters, now widowed, was recorded as the head of a household at Callow Green, Blofield on the 1901 Census of England & Wales. Living with him are his nephew and niece, Benjamin and Emma Marshall and six great nieces and nephews, one of which is the 14 year old Benjamin Marshall, then working as a Carter on Farm. Father Benjamin, (41), was now recorded working as a Foreman on Farm and has given his birthplace as Witton, Norfolk.

 

By the time of the 1911 Census of England and Wales, a “26” year old Benjamin Marshall, born Blofleld, Norfolk, was recorded as a Boarder in a dwelling at Millgate, Aylsham, Norfolk. Benjamin was unmarried and worked as a Steamroller Steerman for the County Council.

 

His parents were still living in the household of their uncle, Cornelius Waters at Callow Green. Benjamin, (52, Farm Labourer, born Witton) and Emma, (51), state they have been married 25 years and have had 9 children, of which 7 were still alive. Following the death of Cornelius later in 1911, a Benjamin Marshall starts to appear in the electorial register from 1914 onwards as entitled to vote in Parliamentary, County Council and Civil Parish elections as he was the (male) head of the household of a dwelling at Callow Green. This is almost certainly the father.

 

The marriage of a Benjamin Marshall to a Mabel L. Hanton was recorded in the Aylsham District of Norfolk in the October to December quarter, (Q4), of 1913. There are no obvious children of the couple recorded in England & Wales.

 

1 hour ago, clk said:

25690 Lubbock - mobilised 5.6.1916; posted 8th Battalion 6.6.1916; posted 3rd Bn 1,9.1916 and sent overseas (renumbered to 31864 Y&L)

 

It would look likely that Benjamin Marshall was conscripted under the 1916 Military Services Act. As a married man born in 1886 he would have been mobilised from the end of May 1916, which seems to roughly match those details.

https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/a-soldiers-life-1914-1918/enlisting-into-the-army/the-group-scheme-derby-scheme/

https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/a-soldiers-life-1914-1918/enlisting-into-the-army/the-1916-military-service-act/procedure-for-call-up-under-the-military-service-act/

 

Only reference I seem to have transcribed for him so far from the local newspapers is a very brief appearance in the BMD announcements in the edition of the Eastern Daily Press dated Friday, April 26, 1918.

MARSHALL – Died of Wounds, Benjamin Marshall, dearly loved son of Benjamin and Emma Marshall, Blofield, aged 31.

 

There is no obvious Soldiers Will or Civil Probate for Benjamin. Picture Norfolk, the County Archive, doesn’t have a picture of him.

 

Benjamin is remembered on both the war memorial in the churchyard at St Andrew and St Peter, (picture attached), and an open out wooden memorial inside the church, During the centennial commemoration there was a large display in the church with quite a few contemporary pictures. May be worthwhile contacting the church office to see if anything has been retained.

 

Hope that helps,

Peter

 

 

 

[clk]

Hi Malcolm/Peter,

 

13 minutes ago, PRC said:

 

There is no obvious Soldiers Will

 

I think that it's under number 6/31066. Linked as 'sole legatee' in the below

1 hour ago, clk said:

His Soldiers' Effects record  names his wife, 'Mabel',  as his sole legatee.

 

Regards

Chris

Edited 28 July , 2020 by clk

[Malcolmh01]

Hi Peter / Chris, thanks for the information, a lot of which I had sussed out. Benjamin married Mabel Savina GEORGE / HANTON in Aylsham on the 11 October 1913. Mabel never remarried and passed away in 1982 aged 98 years. My interest in Benjamin and Mabel is that i live at Victoria Terrace, Aylsham. I started looking at the history of the Terrace during lockdown! Now to find out a bit more on the fighting where he was wounded and finally died. I see that his grave is at Mendinghem close to where there were several Casualty Clearing Stations Regards Malcolm

[PRC]

Penny drop moment - so he's the B. Marshall on the Aylsham memorials - both in the churchyard and in the church. Can't believe it's been 11 years since I tried to find out who he was.

 

Aylsham War Memorial - Great War - Frostick to Wymer by Moominpappa06, on Flickr

 

St Michaels Aylsham War Memorial 1 by Moominpappa06, on Flickr

 

Cheers,

Peter

 

[Malcolmh01]

Hi Peter, I found him on the Blofield Memorial and didn't think to check the Aylsham one! regards Malcolm

[Michelle Young]

Title edited for you Malcolm 

Michelle 

[Malcolmh01]

Thanks Michelle, you're a star.