Individual Stories – WW1
Part 3

Alfred Reginald Marshall 19 years old on entering He may have been at the Somme and at Ypres – Injured twice in action - Nearly died  No. 1956, 8th Battallion London Regiment 370394, 289322, 625A COy Labour Corps London Regiment - Rifles More of the life of Alfred Reginald Marshall

On 23 January 1914 Alfred received a Certificate of Qualification for Employment as a PO Sorter; this was sent to 21 Wellesley Road Kentish Town 

On 5 Aug 1914 He received his call up papers – EMBODIMENT. 
There was no tone of invitation about these but a fairly threatening instruction.

EMBODIMENT

Click here for a larger picture

Hansard HL Deb 06 August 1914 vol 17 c411 411  His Majesty's answer to the Address of Tuesday last delivered by the Lord Steward (E. Chesterfield) and read as follows, viz.:  "I have received with great satisfaction the loyal and dutiful expression of your thanks for My Message communicating My intention to call out the Army Reserve on Permanent Service and to cause the Territorial Force to be embodied."

He seemed to have had a slight wound in June of 1915 and then been badly hit in Oct 1915.
The story is that Alfred was expected to die as a result of his wounds and that it was the prayers of his family that enabled him to survive.

9 June 1915: Official notice from the war office that 1956 Private A.R.Marshall 8th Battallion London Regiment was wounded in action on 24th May 1915
Sent to Mrs M Marshall 121 Queen’s Crescent Haverstock Hill NW

2 Oct 1915: From the matron at No1. Stationary Hospital. 1956 Private A.R.Marshall 8th Battallion London Regiment is dangerously ill with a gunshot wound to chest. 

4 Oct 1915: Official notice from the war office that 1956 Private A.R.Marshall 8th Battallion London Regiment is dangerously ill with a gunshot wound to chest.

7 Oct 1915: From the matron at No1. Stationary Hospital. He was as well as to be expected

1 Nov 1915: From the matron at No1. Stationary Hospital. He was about to have an operation on his lung to remove the shrapnel. Not too much hope.

Nov 1915: From the matron at No1. Stationary Hospital. He has had the operation and is very ill. It is expected that the War Office will give a permit for the family to visit

10 Aug 1917: Transfer to Class W. Army Reserve and having served 1158 days – good conduct.
Discharge Certificate for 289322 Private A.R.Marshall 625A COy Labour Corps.
Under Colours for 4 years and 226 days. Conduct very good 
He was first posted to C of R Rifles.
He was born into a Catholic family, brother to Florence Marshall, who lost her husband at the front, but as a result of his experiences in the 1st World War and horrors that he must have seen, he “lost” his faith. Although understood and respected by local clergy, this caused within the family serious divisions that got passed on to the next generation. Fortunately a reconciliation occurred at the time of Florence’s eightieth birthday.

It is poignant to consider that early in 1919 Alfred was to marry Kate Wright who had lost two brothers at the front; one of them, Frank, at the age of twenty.

“Stickybacks are off”
Photograph of Alfred Marshall in Hospital in Malton 21 Fbebuary 1916 - recuperating

Alfred Marshall in WW2
Alfred, having fought in the First World War, was working for the Post office in London. He did fire watch duty during the bombing.

More of the life of  Alfred Marshall