Willington Cemetery
Willington Cemetery
Husband of Elizabeth Hannah Marsden, of 61, Russell Place, Willington.
The Headstone reads:-
In
Loving memory
Of
Ex-Corporal
Maurice Marsden M.M.
Beloved husband of
E.H. Marsden
Who died at Willington
July 7th 1918 aged 40 years
Also of Sapper Thomas Cook
Brother in Law of the above
Who was Killed in Action
April 6th 1917 aged 45 years
Also his
beloved wife
Elizabeth Hannah
Marsden
Died May 9th 1957
Aged 75 years
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Maurice Marsden was born at Dronfield, Derbyshire in 1878, one of 3 children he was the eldest of 2 sons and had an elder sister. His father boot maker George Marsden born at Norton. married at Rotherham. October 19th 1874, to Emma Beverley of Hollinsend, Derbyshire. His father died in 1885 and Maurice in 1891 aged 13 years was living at 83, Russell Place, Willington with his maternal uncle Maurice Beverley who was employed as a coal miner and his wife Laura.
During the Boer War Maurice served as Private 9085 assigned to the 4th Volunteer Service Coy, 2nd Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers and was awarded the Queens Medal.
Maurice married, March 11th 1901, at Willington, Elizabeth Hannah Cook, a local girl born in 1882 with whom he had a son William born May 17th 1903. In 1911 they were living at 32, Wear Street, Willington, Maurice supported his family working as a stone-man at the colliery.
In 1914 at the age of 36 years 296 days he enlisted at Durham where he was attested November 24th and initially assigned as Private 7705 2nd Battalion Gordon Highlanders, however he was discharged at Aberdeen, March 9th 1915, as suffering from a very loose cartilage of the knee, not due to military service and unlikely to become an efficient soldier.
During 1915 the British tunnelling companies were formed in response to the fact that the British Expeditionary Force at the Western Front had discovered the Germans were mining to a planned system, something that the British had failed to do. Kitchener and the French field marshals investigated the possibility and suitability of forming British mining units, the idea was approved and the scheme initiated February 19th 1915. To make this work quicker and safer the British Army enlisted experienced coal miners, many of whom were volunteers outside the normal recruitment age policy.
Maurice Marsden, now aged 37 years, presented himself once again in an attempt to serve, based upon his experience at Brancepeth Colliery as deputy overman and his knowledge of mining and timbering, he was accepted and assigned Sapper 102754 Royal Engineers. Joining at London, June 18th 1915, he was assigned as tunneller’s mate for the duration of the war. June 19th 1915 he departed with the British Expeditionary Force disembarking in France and transferred to the 179th Tunnelling Coy where he undertook an eight-day course September 29th 1915 receiving instruction in first aid in gas poisoning cases and the use of oxygen reviving apparatus. Deployed in the Thiepval and La Boisselle sector, remustered and appointed tunneller July 1st 1916. Promoted several times during 1916 he was appointed 2nd Corporal.
May 28th 1916 he was admitted to hospital returning to his unit one month later and was again promoted to the rank of Corporal, August 13th 1916, however he was admitted to the 3rd Casualty Clearing Station August 18th 1916 which was stationed at Puchevillers on the Somme between May 16th 1916 and March 6th 1917 and from there admitted to the 41st Canadian Hospital.
Corporal Marsden was evacuated to England and admitted to the General Hospital at Gravesend August 29th 1916 as his old cartilage problems had returned. He remained at the General Hospital until October 4th when he was transferred to the Yacht Club Gravesend which had been offered by its owner, Mr Hugh Fletcher, to the British Red Cross as an auxiliary hospital, where he was treated for rheumatism of the knee which caused swelling and pain to his leg. He was discharged from hospital November 13th 1916.
Corporal 102754 Maurice Marsden was transferred to Class W, “for all soldiers whose services are deemed to be more valuable to the country in civil rather than military employment”, and allowed to return to his home at 45 Railway Terrace, Willington where he returned to his employment as a miner at Brancepeth Colliery owned by Strakers and Love. After undergoing further medical examination at regular intervals he was officially discharged under King’s Regulations 392 (xvi), “no longer physically fit for War Service”, December 29th 1917 and awarded a pension of 30 shillings a week for 4 weeks, then reduced to 9 shillings a week.
Ex Corporal 102754 Maurice Marsden died at Willington July 7th 1918 aged 40 years and interred in the family plot at Willington Cemetery, County Durham. His widow Elizabeth Hannah was awarded an Army pension of 21 shillings 8 pence a week as of July 10th 1918 for herself and their son William. He was the recipient of the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal and the Military Medal awarded to him whilst serving with the rank of 2nd Corporal for bravery in battle on land, reported in the London Gazette, November 9th 1916.
Elizabeth Hannah Cook of 33 Birch Drive, Willington, died May 9th 1957 aged 75 years, their son William married in 1927 to Doris C. Shingler died in September 1957 aged 53 years, registered at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland.
In the family plot is also recorded the demise of Elizabeth Hannah’s brother Sapper 102749 Thomas Cook Royal Engineers, killed in action, April 6th 1917 aged 48 years. He and George had enlisted together and both served in the 179th Tunnelling Coy, Royal Engineers.
In God’s safe keeping, Rest In Peace.
Maurice Marsden is remembered at Willington on W120.02, W120.03, W120.05
