SE/29912, Private, Victor MARSHALL
Aged 33
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Born Victor Marshall STRUGGLES in Marylebone, London ( Marylebone Q2-1886 1A:635) (according to enlistment documents it was 1885), son of Lizzie STRUGGLES His mother married Albert Victor MARSHALL in Marylebone in Q3-1886 1891 census...Now Victor MARSHALL [4] at 389 Harrow Road, Paddington, recorded as born St John's Wood,(step)son of Albert V. MARSHALL [27] a drapers assistant born Bayswater, and Lizzie A [27] (née STRUGGLES),born St John's Wood with another son Edward A [3] born Kensal Green and a daughter Elizabeth M [2] also born Kensal Green. His (step) father died in 1897 in Paddington 1901 census...Aged 14, he and brother Edward were boarders with John and Ellen MEAD and their family at Stewkley, Bucks. September 1910, in Newmarket, he married Daisy Ethel RAWLINSON. He gave his age as 21 and his father, the late Albert Edward Marshall. 1911 census...Now recorded as Esher MARSHALL [21] born in Willesden, he was a stableman, with his wife Daisy Ethel[20] and daughter Mabel Ida [4 months) ( born Newmarket) living with his mother in law, widow Ellen Jessie RAWLINSON, at Icewell Hill, Newmarket. How he came to use the name Esher is a puzzle to the family even. By the time he enlisted, Victor lived at 1 Plympton Cottages, Exeter Road, Newmarket. He was married to Daisy Ethel MARSHALL (nee RAWLINSON) on 19th July 1910 in Newmarket, and they had 3 children that survived. Daisy gave birth prematurely to a baby girl the day after the Zeppelin bombing in Newmarket on 12th January 1916, and died herself a day later. Victor had been working for Reg Day, trainer, The Terrace, Newmarket. He had three surviving children, Mabel Ida (27/11/1910), Sidney Victor (27/4/1912) and Albert Edward (10/6/1914). |
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Despite being a widower with 3 children he was called up on 23rd June, 1917, declaring
his age as 32 and 1 month. He was stated to be 5 feet 1/2 inch (153.7 cm) and weighed 94 lbs (42.6 kg). He joined the BEF in France on 13th
September 1917 via Le Havre. He left France via Boulogne on 30th March 1919 and was discharged on 29th April 1919 to class Z Reserves and
returned to live at Plympton Cottages, Exeter Road, Newmarket. He had contracted TB and on an application form dated March 1919 he gives
his age at last birthday as 35, (yet another version of his age). He was later awarded a disability pension
from the Army. His death certificate gives the cause of death as pulmonary tuberculosis on 5th December 1919 and gives his age as 37. With the aid of the "In from the Cold" project, I was able to have him added to the United Kingdom Book of Remembrance on 19th June 2020. The burial register for Newmarket Cemetery appears to have recorded him as interred in the wrong grave. That being so more work is needed to actually sorted out where Victor is resting, presumably with his wife and child in an unmarked grave for which it may be possible to obtain a CWGC headstone. It is however unlikely as 2 recent (2011 and 2013) burials of his relatives have taken place and a headstone installed, thus it is more than likely that this will not be disturbed. Just confuse it even more another relative of Victor insists he was never related to Harry and Frances who are in the stone. |
His "relative's grave in Newmarket NG:H599
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details