Marshall Gill
- Family History
- Military History
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Marshall (known as John or Jack) was the son of William Edgar and Annie Gill (née Marshall). Marshall's father William Edgar was the son of William and Harriett Gill (née Bampton b. Gotham). They were married at Shoreditch St James on 9 June 1863; William was a fireman. They had at least four children who were born in London: Alice, Mary Jane b. 1871, Wiliam Edgar b. 1873 and Edward b. 1874. William snr. died at Paddington Green Fire Station, where he and his family probably lived, on 5 January 1875 and his widow returned to Gotham with their children. Harriett married secondly James Newell at Nottingham St Peter on 23 April 1877 and they had two children, William Henry and Mary A. In 1881 they were living on Monks' Lane, Gotham, with three of Harriett's children by her first marriage, Alice, Mary and William, and their two children. Marshall's mother Annie Marshall was born in Gotham on 21 March 1873. William Edgar Gill and Annie Marshall were married in 1895 and had eight children, all of whom were born in Gotham: Mary b. 1896, Marshall b. 1897, Charlotte b. 1898, Emily b. 1901, Benjamin b. 1904, Thomas b. 1906 and Lloyd b. 1909 (reg. J/F/M 1910) and William Edgar b. 1912 (reg. O/N/D). In 1901 William (27), a plaster labourer, and Annie (27) were living on Wallis Street, Gotham, with their three children, Mary (5), Marshall (3) and Charlotte (2). They were still living at the same address in 1911 with their seven children: Mary a domestic servant, John (sic) a farm boy, Charlotte, Emily (10), Benjamin (6), Thomas (5) and Lloyd (1). Their eighth child, William Edgar, was born the following year. William Edgar snr. died in 1912 (O/N/D Nottingham). Marshall named his mother, Annie, as his next of kin when he enlisted in November 1914. Annie completed a form for the army in May 1919 listing her son's surviving blood relatives. Her four surviving sons, Benjamin (14), Thomas (13), Lloyd (9) and William (6) and two daughters, Charlotte (20) and Emily (18), were living with her at Wallis Street, Gotham. Mary, the eldest child, was not included on the form and so may have died after 1911 but before May 1919. In 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled, Annie was living at 94 Leake Road, Gotham, with two of her children, Charlotte and William Edgar. Annie may have died in 1967.
Marshall Gill enlisted on 21st November 1914 in Loughborough. He gave his age as 19 yrs and 212 days (b. 1895) - he was born in 1897 and was 13 yrs of age in 1911. Marshall joined at Leicester on 23 November 1914 and was posted to the 8th Bn Leicestershire Regiment on 3 December and then to Aldershot. He was deprived of four days' pay for misconduct on 13 May 1915. Marshall served with the BEF in France from 9 July 1915 but the following month on 31 August suffered shell wounds to the face, neck and chest when a bomb burst accidentally during platoon bomb throwing practice at Mondcourt. At least three men were killed, including the officer instructing the platoon, and more severely injured while a group of men standing some 40 yards away were also injured. A transcript of the Court of Enquiry and the accounts of witnesses was filed with Marshall's service documents. A witness gave evidence that the fuse mechanism of Pitcher bombs, the type used in the training exercise, was defective and liable to cause such explosions. Marshall was treated initially at a Casualty Stationary Hospital then medically evacuated to England from Le Touquet in the Hospital Ship Newhaven in September. He was posted to the 10th Bn on 25 January 1916 and embarked for France on 17 May that year. He was posted to the 6th Bn on 18 May 1916 and later joined the battalion in the field. Marshall was killed in action the following September between 25th and 29th September 1916; his date of death was presumed as 29 September. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial (Pier and Face 2 C and 3 A). He qualified for the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
CWGC Addional information: Son of William and Annie Gill, of Wallace (sic) St., Gotham, Derby. Registers of Soldiers' Effects: his mother Annie was his legatee.
