Pte
Henry John Marsh
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 07/09/1884 |
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Place of birth: Bristol, Gloucestershire, England, United Kingdom |
Army information
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Country: England, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 202779 |
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Units: — Princess Charlotte of Wales’s (Royal Berkshire Regiment), 2/4th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 22/08/1917 |
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Place of death: Fortuinhoek, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 32 |
Memorial
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Tyne Cot Memorial Panel: 106A |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 1
| #1 | Place of birth |
My story
Private henry John Marsh served in the Princess Charlotte of Wales’s (Royal Berkshire Regiment), 2nd/4th Battalion, part of the 184th Brigade, of the 61st (2nd South Midland) Division. The Division participated in the Third Battle of Ypres. It attacked at Fortuinhoek just Southeast of the village of Sint-Juliaan with one Brigade, the 184th, on the 22nd of August 1917. The Brigade’s attack was carried by the 2nd/1st Ox & Bucks Light Infantry on the right and the 2nd/4th Ox & bucks Light Infantry on the left. The 2nd/5th Gloucestershire Regiment was in support. The Fortuinhoek or Fortuin was a hamlet, which consisted of fourteen farms, including Pond Farm, Aisne Farm, Borderhouse / Prinzenhof, Gallipoli Farm, Hindu Farm, Bank Farm, Martha House, Keir Farm, Plum Farm, Pommern Castle, Somme Farm, Schüler Farm, Springfield Farm and Spree Farm.
The 2nd/4th Royal Berks supported the attack with thirteen platoons, which were to follow the leading infantry. Their job was to move through the leading wave and attack various known German strongpoints. These strongpoints were Somme, Cross Cottage, Aisne House, Schüler Farm, Pond Farm, Hindu Cott., Martha House and Green house. All strongpoints were successfully taken, except for green house, Cross Cott. And Martha House.
The going was hard due to the marshy conditions of the terrain and the heavy machine gun fire coming from the strongpoints. Especially around Pond Farm the Battalion suffered heavy casualties. During the attack a total of six officers were killed, one was wounded and two officers were wounded and missing. 32 other ranks were killed in action, 111 men were wounded, 25 men were wounded and missing and 54 other ranks went missing. Private Henry John Marsh went missing during the attack at Fortuinhoek, at Pond Farm, Hindu Cott. or Schüler Farm. Many fallen soldiers or wounded fell into the waterlogged shell holes, where they fell victim to the mud. Private Henry John Marsh’s remains were never recovered and he was later declared as killed in action. He is remembered on Tyne Cot Memorial.
The 2nd/4th Royal Berks supported the attack with thirteen platoons, which were to follow the leading infantry. Their job was to move through the leading wave and attack various known German strongpoints. These strongpoints were Somme, Cross Cottage, Aisne House, Schüler Farm, Pond Farm, Hindu Cott., Martha House and Green house. All strongpoints were successfully taken, except for green house, Cross Cott. And Martha House.
The going was hard due to the marshy conditions of the terrain and the heavy machine gun fire coming from the strongpoints. Especially around Pond Farm the Battalion suffered heavy casualties. During the attack a total of six officers were killed, one was wounded and two officers were wounded and missing. 32 other ranks were killed in action, 111 men were wounded, 25 men were wounded and missing and 54 other ranks went missing. Private Henry John Marsh went missing during the attack at Fortuinhoek, at Pond Farm, Hindu Cott. or Schüler Farm. Many fallen soldiers or wounded fell into the waterlogged shell holes, where they fell victim to the mud. Private Henry John Marsh’s remains were never recovered and he was later declared as killed in action. He is remembered on Tyne Cot Memorial.
Sources 2
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184 Infantry Brigade: 2/4 Royal Berkshire Regiment, (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 95/3065/2). https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14303 Further reference |
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McCarthy C., The Third Ypres Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account, (London, Arms & Armour Press, 1995), pg. 58-60. Sources used |
More information 3
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/1634513 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=b448ac26-6a74-4a14-ad30-81286d40debc |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/2926758 |