Edwin Marsden

Edwin enlisted in Sheffield on 21st May 1908. He is buried in Hautrage Military Cemetery Belgium Grave Reference: I D 12

The following is an entry taken from 'The Cuthbertain ' college magazine, volume XIX - No 6 dated Dec 1914. It is with feelings of deep sorrow, mixed with pride, that we record the following loss. It is recorded in an extract taken from the "High Peak News." Major C. W. Singer, commanding the 17th Company R.E., writes this message to the father, dated August 29th. " I am more than sorry to have to acquaint you that Corporal Marsden was killed in action on the 25th inst. I am forbidden at present to state the place. It will be a gratification to you to know that he died as he had lived, as a brave soldier and a gentleman. He had just performed a most gallant deed in volunteering to blow up a bridge under a very heavy fire, which he did unscathed; shortly afterwards he was hit on the head by a shrapnel bullet, and expired instantaneously without any pain, "Will you please accept my most heartfelt sympathy in which all officers of this company join. Personally, I feel I have lost a friend and a gallant comrade." Corporal Marsden was well-known to many Hathersage friends when a boy. He was educated at Worksop College, and had served with the Royal Engineers seven years, part of the time at the Curragh in Ireland. He was an instructor in bridge building, and invented an improvement in the Wheldon trestle which the War Office accepted. Following is the narrative of an eye-witness who saw the gallant Corporal's action and death : " If they (the Germans) had only got across that night, I am afraid there would have been very few of the Middlesex left. The only bridge that was left open to them was blown up by a sergeant'' of the Engineers, and the very next moment his own head was carried away by a German shell. But the brave fellow saved the position." The narrative is from a letter of a private in the Middlesex Regiment to his mother. Several Sheffield soldiers have also borne witness to E. Marsden's death. They saw the deed done.