David Marshall Age 27
Regimental No. 34454 Corporal 143 Bt. Machine Gun Corps (also 7233 KOSB)
Killed in Action 23 August 1917, 3rd Battle of Ypres
Buried Tyne Cot Cemetery, Ypres, Belgium
Personal Background
David was born in Balfron to David Marshall, surfaceman, and his wife, Agnes, and had a sister, Elizabeth. His father must have died when David was very young, and his mother remarried a William Campbell. David also had two half-brothers, only a few years his junior, and a half sister.
It was puzzling that, with his family living in Dumbartonshire, he enlisted in Galashiels, but a lead was found in the 1911 Census, when a David Marshall, aged 19, born Stirlingshire, was discovered employed as a gardener at Monteviot. Further research into Military records revealed that David enlisted in the KOSB Territorial Battalion on 16 November 1914, and served with them until 6 May 1916. His enlistment papers for the Territorials indicate that he was by then employed by a Miss Dalrymple in St. Boswells: we assume this was Miss Mary Dalrymple of Elliston House, not far out of the village, past Charlesfield.
In May 1916 David enlisted in the Machine Gun Corps. His enlistment medical form shows that he was of slight build, just 5ft 6ins and with a 36 inch chest, but between being a full time gardener and his territorial training , he would have been strong. David was posted overseas and served only just over a year before being killed in action at the 3rd Battle of Ypres.
The Register of Soldiers' Effects show payments due to him were sent to his mother, Agnes Campbell on 09 March 1918 and the War Grant on 8 November 1919, so she must have been named as his next of kin. The record also contains a letter from Mrs Campbell thanking his CO, or whoever had written to her, for the letter informing her of her son's burial place. She mentions it having been a long wait between being notified of his death and finding out where he had been buried. The date is very smudged but looks like it may have been a year after his death. The address on her letter is Dunkyan Lodge, Killearn. There is also a poignant letter confirming she wanted her son's identity disc sent on to her, which, despite "its dilapidated condition" she was happy to have. "However small anything is, or in whatever condition, it is a great pleasure to have it". This was at the end of 1920 and the receipt for his medals is signed and dated by her on 22 July 1922.
Military Background
David would appear to have been in the forces since 16 November 1914, initially the Territorial Battalion of the KOSB, and was transferred to the Machine Gun Corps. Reference is made to him signing up at Grantham on 8 May 1916 and being posted to the British Expeditionary Force on 23 July 1916.
On 21 August 1917 near Langemarck there was continuous shelling by the forward machine-guns which strafed enemy movements by day and kept up harassing fire by night on enemy communication trenches. The next day 6 machine guns went forward with the 5th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment to help consolidate positions and to capture enemy trenches. The attack failed and the machine guns stayed with the infantry.
On 23/24 August, continuous enemy shelling and harassing fire was kept up and this resulted in casualties amongst whom was Corporal Marshall, who died on 23 August. He had been promoted in the field to acting corporal only 5 days before he died.