Marshall, Robert Henry (Robert)
Lance Corporal
No. 18434, ‘B’ Company, 13th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles
Killed in action on Wednesday 14 February 1917 (aged 22)
Buried:
St. Quentin Cabaret Military Cemetery, Belgium (Grave II. A. 14)
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Comber and District War Memorial
Andrews Mill Memorial Plaque
Second Comber Presbyterian Church
BIOGRAPHY
Robert Henry Marshall was born on 12 June 1894 in Cogry, Doagh Grange, Co Antrim and he was the eldest son of Adam and Isabella (Bella) Marshall (nee McQuillan) who were married on 10 January 1891 in Trinity Parish Church of Ireland Church, Belfast. Adam Marshall from Belfast was a son of John Marshall, a carter. Isabella McQuillan from Belfast was a daughter of William McQuillan, a flax dresser.
The Marshall family lived in the townlands of Cogry, Doagh Grange, Co Antrim and Ballyhenry, Co Antrim before moving to Comber where they lived at 28 Brownlow Street and later at 26 Brae Side.
Adam Marshall worked as a mechanic and he and Isabella had ten children:
Jenny (Jinnie, born 10 May 1891 in Cogry, Doagh Grange, Co Antrim)
Sarah (born 20 March 1893 in Cogry, Doagh Grange, Co Antrim; died of broncho-pneumonia 12 September 1893)
Robert Henry (born 12 June 1894 in Cogry, Doagh Grange, Co Antrim)
Catherine (born 11 November 1895 in Cogry, Doagh Grange, Co Antrim; died of dentition convulsions 10 October 1897)
Sarah (born 25 June 1898 in Cogry, Doagh Grange, Co Antrim)
John (born 30 December 1899 in Cogry, Doagh Grange, Co Antrim)
Maggie (born 30 October 1901 in Cogry, Doagh Grange, Co Antrim)
William (born 26 March 1903 in Ballyhenry, Co Antrim)
Arthur (born 24 March 1905 in Ballyhenry, Co Antrim)
Isabella (born 12 February 1907 in Ballyhenry, Co Antrim)
Before the war Robert Henry Marshall was employed by Messrs John Andrews & Company in Comber.
Robert Henry Marshall enlisted in September 1914 and served with the 13th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles in 108th Brigade of the 36th (Ulster) Division.
In late December 1916 he was home on leave, just seven weeks before he was killed in action at around 6.00 pm on 14 February 1917.
Lance Corporal Robert Henry Marshall and his comrades repelled an attack on their line by a German patrol and as the attackers retreated under fire Lance Corporal Robert Henry Marshall was killed by their retaliatory bombardment.
In an attack earlier that day Rifleman William McKittrick was killed and Rifleman Robert Robinson was wounded; Rifleman Robert Robinson died the following day.
The Presbyterian Chaplain of the Battalion wrote a letter of condolence to Robert Henry Marshall’s mother in which he described Lance Corporal Marshall as ‘a brave and loyal man’.
Lance Corporal Robert Henry Marshall (No 18434) was buried in St. Quentin Cabaret Military Cemetery, Belgium and he is commemorated on Comber and District War Memorial; on Andrews Mill Memorial Plaque and in Second Comber Presbyterian Church.