Name
Francis Henry Marshall
1883
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
02/06/1916
33
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
12869
Canadian Infantry
5th Bn.
'B' Coy.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LARCH WOOD (RAILWAY CUTTING) CEMETERY
V. C. 22.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
OUR BRAVE LAD GAVE HIS LIFE FOR FREEDOM PEACE PERFECT PEACE
UK & Other Memorials
Monken Hadley Village Memorial, Hadley Common Village Memorial, St Paul's Church Memorial, Hadley Wood
Pre War
Francis Henry Marshall was born in Enfield, Middlesex in 1883, the son and eldest child of George and Emma Marshall (nee Meadows). He was one of six children.
On the 1891 the family were living at Greenwood (in later called Bailiffs Cottage) near Hadley Wood Station, Enfield, Middlesex where his father was working as a farm labourer. He was recorded as living there in 1901 and 1911, at which time he was working as a carter and their residence was identified as 'Bailiffs Cottage', Greenwood.
He emigrated to Canada and worked as a farm labourer, probably with his brother Arthur. It is likely that they both lived in Saskatchewan as, prior to the war, he joined the 16th Light Horse Militia which was based in Regina, Saskatchewan (his brother enlisted in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan).
His medical records show that he was a heavy smoker, but was teetotal.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in the Canadian army at Valcatier, Ontario, on 14 September 1914, on a pay rate of $C15 per month which he had paid to his father. He had previously served with the 16th Canadian Light Horse, (a light cavalry regiment of the Canadian Militia). His unit sailed on 3 October 1914 and arrived at St Nazaire, France on 15 February 1915. He was promoted to Lance Corporal on 10 January 1916.
Francis was killed in action on 2 June 1916 during an attack south east of Zillebeke and is buried at Larch Wood (Railway Cutting) Cemetery, nr Ieper (Ypres), Belgium.
Additional Information
Back pay of $C72.77 sent to his father in England, but he was not entitled to a gratuity. No record of which medals were issued appears on Canadian forms, except that it was noted he was eligible for a 1914-15 Star. (having arrived in France before 21 December 1915).
His mother, Mrs E Marshall, Greenwood, Hadley Wood, Barnet, Herts, ordered his headstone inscription, which reads: "OUR BRAVE LAD GAVE HIS LIFE FOR FREEDOM PEACE PERFECT PEACE".
Brother of Arthur George Marshall who also served with the Canadian Forces and was killed in action in 1917.
Acknowledgments
Taff Williams, Brenda Palmer
David Harbott, stpaulshadleywood.org., www.canada.ca
