Donald Ewan Marshall
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Donald was born Apl/May/June 1898. He was the eldest son of Robert James and Nellie Kirby Marshall who had two other children, Kenneth Johnstone and Jean Isabel. Robert James was a commercial traveller (variously furnishings, soft goods and lace curtains). In 1901 Robert James (31), his wife (28) and their son, Donald (2), were living with his parents, Robert and Helen, at 92 Gregory Boulevard, Nottingham. Also in the household were his brother, William Johnstone (28) and a female servant. By 1911 Robert James, Nellie and their three children, Donald, Kenneth (7, b. Moseley) and Jean (5, b. Moseley), were living at 85 Oxford Road, Moseley, Birmingham. Robert employed a live-in domestic servant. Six years later, at the time of Donald's death, the family was back in Nottingham and living at 28 Burford Road. However, his father gave an address in Whitchurch when he claimed Donald's medals in 1921 and by the time of his own death on18 May 1957 he was living on Toston Drive, Wollaton Park, Nottingham. Donald's brother, Kenneth, may have been too young to enlist in the war and he was alive to administer his father's estate in 1957.
Royal Flying Corps 18th Sqdn and 4th Bn West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own). He served in France from April 1917 and was killed during a night bombing attack on Cambrai. He is buried in Lillers Communal Cemetery (grave ref V.A.11). He qualified for the British War Medal and Victory Medal; his father applied for his son's medals in 1921, giving his address as 53 Foreland Road, Whitchurch, near Cardiff.
An obituary in the Post Magazine said, 'His loss will be keenly felt by his colleagues.' Photograph on website. (www.aviva.com/about-us/heritage/world-war-one/roll-of-honour/m/4).Nottingham Post obituary (abridged), 15 August 1917: 'Marshall. Killed in action on the 7th inst. Second Lieutenant Donald E Marshal, West Yorkshire Regiment attached RFC, eldest son of Mr and Mrs KJ Marshall, 26 Burford Road, age 19 years.'Probate: Marshall Donald Ewan of 28 Burford-road, Nottingham second-lieutenant in His Majesty’s army died 7 August 1917 in France Administration Nottingham 4 December to Robert James Marshall [father] commercial traveller. Effects £194 9s 5d.
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