Lieutenant Colonel James Neville Marshall VC, MC & Bar (12 June 1887 – 4 November 1918), was an

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recipient of the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...

, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to

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and Commonwealth forces.

Military career

Marshall was born in Manchester in 1887. His family moved to Oxford Road,

Acocks Green Acocks Green is an area and ward of southeast Birmingham, England. It is named after the Acock family, who built a large house there in 1370. Acocks Green is one of four wards making up Yardley formal district. It is occasionally spelled "Acoc ...

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1. ...

in around 1894, his father being a draper. James Neville went to King Edwards School and after leaving worked at the Birmingham and Midland Institute and in the Medical Faculty of the

University of Birmingham The University of Birmingham (informally Birmingham University) is a Public university, public research university located in Edgbaston, Birmingham, United Kingdom. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Queen's College, Birmingha ...

in a clerical capacity. He studied veterinary practice, then worked in this field in Harlow, Essex. He started off the First World War in Argentina, buying horses but then enlisted in the

Irish Guards ("Who Shall Separate s") , colors = , identification_symbol_2 Saffron (pipes), identification_symbol_2_label = Tartan , identification_symbol = , identification_symbol_label = Tactical Recognition F ...

. Marshall married Edith Maud Taylor, daughter of successful maltster Mr. Henry Algernon Taylor on 20 September 1911. Following her husband's death, Mrs. Marshall never remarried. He was 31 years old, and an acting lieutenant colonel in the Irish Guards,

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

, attached to the

Lancashire Fusiliers The Lancashire Fusiliers was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that saw distinguished service through many years and wars, including the Second Boer War, the First and Second World Wars, and had many different titles throughout its 28 ...

, commanding 16th Battalion during the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

at the battle of Sambre when the events took place for which he was awarded the VC. On 4 November 1918 at the

Sambre–Oise Canal The Canal de la Sambre à l'Oise () is a canal in northern France. It forms a connection between the canalised river Sambre (Meuse basin) at Landrecies and the Oise (Seine basin) at La Fère. The canal is long, and has 38 locks. The junction m ...

, near Catillon,

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, when a partly constructed bridge was badly damaged before the advanced troops of his battalion could cross, Marshall organised repair parties. The first party were soon killed or wounded, but the colonel's personal example was such that more volunteers were instantly forthcoming. Under intense fire and with complete disregard of his own safety, he stood on the bank encouraging his men and helping in the work. When the bridge was repaired he attempted to lead his men across, but was killed in the attack.

Wilfred Owen Wilfred Edward Salter Owen MC (18 March 1893 – 4 November 1918) was an English poet and soldier. He was one of the leading poets of the First World War. His war poetry on the horrors of trenches and gas warfare was much influenced b ...

was killed in the same engagement soon after the bridge was crossed as he encouraged his men. He was also awarded the Croix de Guerre (Belgium) and was made a Chevalier of the Order of Leopold (Belgium). His Victoria Cross is displayed at The Guards Regimental Headquarters (Irish Guards RHQ), London, England. Marshall is commemorated at Harlow War Memorial Institute and on their website. Marshall is also commemorated in the Old Harlow Baptists' Church, St.Marys (Churchgate Street) and St Mary-at-Latton Churches on their memorials to the fallen of Harlow. WW1 Roll of Honour, from Latton

James Marshall is also mentioned several times in

Pat Barker Patricia Mary W. Barker, (née Drake; born 8 May 1943) is an English writer and novelist. She has won many awards for her fiction, which centres on themes of memory, trauma, survival and recovery. Her work is described as direct, blunt and pl ...

's Booker Prize-winning novel

The Ghost Road ''The Ghost Road'' is a war novel by Pat Barker, first published in 1995 and winner of the Booker Prize. It is the third volume of a trilogy that follows the fortunes of shell-shocked British army officers towards the end of the First World Wa ...

, in which he is referred to as 'Colonel Marshall-of-the-Ten-Wounds'.

References

External links

* *

Monuments to Courage David Charles Harvey (29 July 1946 – 4 March 2004) was a historian and author. He is notable for his seminal work, ''Monuments To Courage'', which documents the graves of almost all recipients of the Victoria Cross, a task that took him over 3 ...

(David Harvey, 1999) *

The Register of the Victoria Cross ''The Register of the Victoria Cross'' is a reference work that provides brief information on every Victoria Cross awarded until the publication date. Each entry provides a summary of the deed, along with a photograph of the recipient and the fo ...

(This England, 1997) * VCs of the First World War - The Final Days 1918 (Gerald Gliddon, 2000) {{DEFAULTSORT:Marshall, James 1887 births 1918 deaths Military personnel from Manchester Military personnel from Lancashire Irish Guards officers British military personnel killed in World War I British Army personnel of World War I British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross British World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross Recipients of the Military Cross Recipients of the Croix de guerre (Belgium) People educated at King Edward's School, Birmingham