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Research by Den Budden 2007

Lance Corporal JACK MARSDEN 14400746, Lance Corporal, East Yorkshire Regiment, 50th Division (Northumberland), XXX Corps. Age 20 Died 8.6.1944

Lance Corporal JACK MARSDEN, was the son of Mr and Mrs Charles Henry Marsden, and came from Leeds, Yorkshire. He was part of the first wave of infantry to land on the ‘Gold Beaches’ on Tuesday 6th June 1944. They were tasked with securing the beachhead, by knocking out the numerous fortified pillboxes and strongholds of the German defenders. It was during this action, that the British suffered the heaviest casualties of that day. Lance Corporal Marsden led his men, in an attempt to neutralise a machine gun nest, which had been pinning down many of the men on the beach. They managed to get to within throwing distance of the position, when he was hit by sniper fire, badly wounded, he saw his men accomplish their task, and the gun and crew were silenced. By now Lance Corporal Marsden, had lost a lot of blood, barely conscious, he was taken back onto a hospital ship waiting off shore, where he underwent emergency surgery. On Thursday 8th June , he died of his wounds.

Lance Corporal JACK MARSDEN was buried in the War Graves Section (see plan on back pages), and laid to rest, Row 1 Grave 16, and is commemorated by a CWG headstone.

Private, ALBERT EDWARD MARSHALL 25618, Private, 15th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment. Age 20  Died 5.12.1916

Private ALBERT EDWARD MARSHALL, was the son of David W. and Bessie E. Marshall, of No. 47 Tintern Road, Gosport. He was serving with the 15th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment. He was badly wounded in action in France during the ‘Big Push’ offensives of the autumn of 1916. He was in one of the regiments, who were deployed to the front line just as a twenty-four hour bombardment took place, at the end of which, at dawn, officers told their men, “After that bombardment lads, you will find no German opposition. Nothing could have survived that lot. You can walk across ‘no man’s land towards the enemy trenches”. The result, one of the worst slaughtering of human beings took place. The place - the Somme.

Private Marshall was badly wounded after having made less than 20 yards from his trench. At nightfall, very brave men - stretcher-bearers crawled out into ‘no man’s land’ to retrieve those still alive but wounded. Private Marshall was one of such men. He was taken to a casualty clearing station. These casualty clearing station’s, were little more in most cases, than a ruined building or makeshift shed. Emergency treatment allowed him to be taken by ambulance to the back of the allied rear lines, where he was operated on. Barely hanging on to life, it was imperative that he, and the others like him, was brought back to this country for proper surgical and medical treatment.

Private Marshall was taken to the Southern General Hospital, Westbury-on-Tyne. Despite all that could be done for him, his condition slowly deteriorated, until on the 5th December 1916, he quietly passed away, due to complications attributed to his wounds. Private ALBERT EDWARD MARSHALL’s body was returned to Gosport his hometown, where he was buried on the 11th of December 1916. He is laid to rest, Plot 48 Space 89, and is commemorated by a CWG headstone.

Officer’s Cook ARTHUR KENNETH MARTIN,R.N. L/2135, Officer’s Cook 1st Class, Royal Navy. Age 26 Died 21.9.1918       SEE – Master at Arms, FREDERICK WILLIAM ANDREWS, R.N.

Air Mechanic JAMES HERBERT MARTIN, R.F.C. 12299, Air Mechanic James Hubert Martin, No. 28 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps. Age 23  Died 11.3.1916

Air Mechanic JAMES HERBERT MARTIN, of No. 28 Squadron, R.F.C. Joined the Royal Flying Corps on its formation. He trained as an air mechanic, quickly becoming respected by men and officers alike. He liked nothing better than the opportunity to fly, which was one of the reasons he joined the service. On the afternoon of Saturday the 11th of March 1916, he made a flight with Captain George Crosfield Norris Nicholson, the son of Baron, Sir Charles Nicholson, and Member of Parliament. Captain Nicholson had been educated at Eton and Clare College, Cambridge, and had been appointed Assistant Private Secretary to the Admiralty in 1907. A year later he was seconded to the War Office to become the Private Secretary of Colonel Seely, and further promoted to Principal Private Secretary when the Colonel was made Secretary of State for War in 1912. Capt. Nicholson had already stood unsuccessfully for the House of Commons. Captain Nicholson volunteered for the R.F.C. at the outbreak of war with Germany in 1914, rapidly becoming a proficient pilot.

On the day in question, along with his mechanic James H. Martin, they took-off from Grange Aerodrome in a Fe2b, service No. 6362, and were soon flying at an altitude of some 4,000 feet. Observers on the ground watched as the machine made a 'S' turn on a downward glide, upon reaching a height of 250 feet the aeroplane was seen to bank steeply to left reaching an angle of about 60 degrees, at this the machine side-slipped and plunged to the ground. The Medical Officer, Surgeon J.N. Glen, rushed to the scene. He found both men dying in the mangled remains of the machine; both had suffered extensively fractured skulls. They were taken to the Royal Naval Hospital at Haslar. Captain Nicholson was found to be dead on arrival, Air Mechanic Martin, died within an hour of being admitted. An inquest recorded a verdict of accidental death in both cases. Captain G.C.N. Nicholson was taken to his hometown of Croydon, Surrey, for burial.

Air Mechanic JAMES HUBERT MARTIN, R.F.C., was buried on Tuesday 14th March 1916, and is laid to rest, Plot 132 Space 62. A CWG headstone commemorates him.

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