Marshall, Edward Leslie

Marshall, Edward Leslie (Leslie)

Military Cross and Bar

Sergeant

No. 16866, ‘A’ Company, 13th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles

Captain        

9th Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers

Died of wounds on Sunday 1 September 1918 (aged 26)

Buried:

Meteren Military Cemetery, France (Grave III. G. 748)

Commemorated:

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Holywood and District War Memorial

Bangor Grammar School

Methodist College Belfast

Journey of Remembering Belfast Book of Honour

Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club Memorial Plaque

BIOGRAPHY

Edward Leslie Marshall was born on 13 March 1892 at 17 College Street, Belfast and he was a son of Andrew Chambers Marshall and Annie Maria Marshall (nee Martin) who were married on 19 June 1889 in University Road Methodist Church Belfast.  Andrew Marshall was a son of Thomas Marshall, a merchant.  Annie Martin was a daughter of Samuel Martin.

The Marshall family lived in Bryansburn Road, Bangor (1901), in Windsor Avenue, Belfast (1911) and in Redholme, Craigavad

Andrew Marshall was a wholesale flour merchant (William Marshall & Company Ltd, Victoria Street, Belfast) and he and Annie had at least six children including:

Lilian (born 30 March 1890 at 5 Gloucesterville, Fitzroy Avenue, Belfast)

Edward Leslie (born 13 March 1892 at 17 College Street, Belfast)

Andrew Chambers (born 5 May 1895 at 36 Fitzroy Avenue, Belfast)

William Cecil (born 17 June 1901 in Breezemount, Bangor)

Mary Irene (born 2 January 1904 in Breezemount, Bangor)

Edward Leslie Marshall attended Bangor Grammar School from 1911 until 1913 and then Methodist College Belfast.

He was well-known in golfing circles.

Prior to the outbreak of the First World War Edward worked in his father’s business and he joined the Army in September 1914.

He trained at Clandeboye and in October 1914, along with Holt Hewitt and Norman Hind, he received a commission in the 36th (Ulster) Division.  Norman Hind was a brother of Ernest Hind.

Leslie Marshall, Holt Hewitt and Ernest Hind were killed during the Great War.

Leslie Marshall was gazetted Second Lieutenant with the 9th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers on 13 October 1914, he took up duties in Finner Camp and went to the Front.

He was awarded the Military Cross for gallantry at the capture of the Messines-Wytschaete Ridge in June 1917.

He was promoted to the rank of Captain in September 1917 and was wounded at the Battle of Cambrai in December 1917.

He was awarded a Bar to his Military Cross in January 1918.

Captain Edward Leslie Marshall was 26 when he died at Bailleul on 1 September 1918 as a result of wounds received that day in action at Neuve Eglise and he was buried in Meteren Military Cemetery, France.

Captain Edward Leslie Marshall is commemorated on Holywood and District War Memorial; in Bangor Grammar School; in Methodist College Belfast and in the Journey of Remembering Belfast Book of Honour.