Alexander Marshall

Military Information

  • Date of enlistment: November 1915
  • Place of enlistment: HMS Unicorn, Dundee
  • Service no: Clyde Z/6996
  • Rank: Able Seaman
  • Service Occupation:
  • Awards:
  • Regiment/Service: Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve
  • Unit/Ship: Drake Battalion, R.N. Div
  • Place of Death: France
  • Age at Death: 21
  • Date of Death: 04.02.1917
  • Burial Country: France
  • Cemetery: Hamel Military Cemetery, Beaumont-Hamel
  • Grave/Mem Ref no: I.B.4.

Personal Information

  • Date of Birth:
  • Place of Birth:
  • Address: 69 Wellgate, Dundee
  • Occupation: Blacksmith's Labourer
  • Mother:
  • Father:

    Mr John F Marshall of 69 Wellgate, Dundee

  • Siblings:

    Annie Marshall, 69 Wellgate, Dundee

  • Spouse:
  • Children:

More about Alexander Marshall

Alexander Marshall was the son of Mr John F Marshall of 69 Wellgate, Dundee and worked as a Blacksmith’s Labourer. In November 1915 he volunteered to join the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve onboard HMS Unicorn for service in the Royal Naval Division. After initial Naval Training at the Crystal Palace in South London he was sent to Blandford Camp in Dorset for advanced military training in January 1916. The RND was in the Eastern Mediterranean at this time reforming after the evacuation from Gallipoli. He remained at Blandford before being drafted to the Drake Battalion now serving in France and he was sent to the Etaples Depot in July. After further training he joined the Battalion in September. However he was hospitalised with synovitis of the knee joint and was sent back to Etaples to recover. From here he went to the 3rd Entrenching Battalion, a pool of labour, used as required on the front. In mid November he returned to the Drake Battalion which had suffered heavy casualties in the final Somme battle at Beaucourt. In February 1917 the RND mounted a surprise attack on Puisieux and River trenches which resulted in heavy casualties. Alexander Marshall was killed in this action and he was buried in the Hamel Military Cemetery, Beaumont-Hamel, Northern France.

Information supplied by Iain Stewart and Iain Birnie

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