L/Cpl 41821 Thomas Marsden

• Age: 23
• From: Southport, Lancs
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 4th August 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

Thomas Marsden was born in 1894 at Birkdale, Southport and resided in Scarisbrick and was the son of William Marsden and his wife Mary (nee Squires) who married on the 16th September 1886, at St Paul's Church, Southport.

His mother Mary died on the 12th January 1896, aged 28.

His father, William, remarried on 08th February 1897 to widow Margaret Nuttall (nee Hesketh) at St Paul's Church, Southport.

On the 1901 Census the family are living at 27 Warwick Street, Birkdale. His father, William, aged 36 is a masons labourer who was born in Scarisbrick, and his wife Margaret aged 44 was born in Burscough. They have six children in the household; John H. Nutall 17 is an errand boy who was born in Sidney Austrailia, Mary E. Nutall 14 dressmakers apprentice born in Alexandria, Austrailia, William Marsden 13 is a tailors errand boy, Harold Marsden is 12, Elizabeth Marsden 10 and Thomas Marsden aged 8 who were all born in Birkdale. 

His step-mother Margaret died in 1911.

The 1911 Census shows Thomas living at Black Moss Lane, Scarisbrick, Ormskirk. He is working as a farm labourer aged 17, born 1894 for Henry Ackers aged 66, born 1845 and his wife Ann aged 60, born 1851 both farmers born in Scarisbrick. Also living at the address are Jane Wright aged 18, born 1893 a domestic servant and Joseph Howard aged 40, born 1871 a farm labourer.

Thomas was the husband of Ellen (nee Church), Smithy Lane, Scarisbrick, Ormskirk. Thomas and Ellen were married in 1915 and had a daughter named Edith also born in 1915.

Prior to the war he was employed by Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company. 

He enlisted in Southport and was serving in the 17th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Lance Corporal No 41821 where he was attached to a Lewis gun section when he was killed in action on the 04th August 1917, aged 23, during the Third Battle of Ypres.

The 17th Battalion Diary groups the action of the opening day of the offensive up to the relief of the Battalion on 04th August as follows: 

On that day, the 89th Brigade was to follow up the attacks of the 21st and 90th Brigades and once their objectives had been taken, to go through them and secure a line of strong points on the German third line. The 89th Brigade line of attack was from the South West corner of Polygon Wood, to the Menin Road. The 17th Battalion The King’s Liverpool Regiment was on the left of the attack, and the 20th to the right, with the 19th Battalion and the 2nd Battalion The Bedfordshire Regiment, in Divisional Reserve.

The Battalion moved into assembly positions east of Maple Copse between 05.00 and 05.20am, they were heavily shelled and suffered many casualties. At 07.50 they began to advance with the 17th Battalion on the left, and the 20th on the right, the whole time under heavy shell fire. On reaching their position which was the Blue Line , troops of both the 21st and 90th Brigades were still pinned down and thus any attempt at further progress were futile.

Despite this they pushed on until their flank was just touching Clapham Junction. They then dug in and awaited the inevitable bombardment which hit them soon after. Despite this, they held onto the ground.

During the action and their time in the line the 17th Battalion lost three officers and 79 men killed or died of wounds, and four officers and 198 men wounded. They were eventually relieved on the night of 3rd -4th August. 

Thomas was one of those casualties referred to in the Diary. His death was reported in the Southport Visiter dated 18^th August 1917:

Lance Corporal Marsden was the husband of Mrs T Marsden, Smithy Lane, Scarisbrick. He was killed in action on August 2nd 1917. Formerly the deceased soldier was employed by the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway. He left a wife and one child.

Further newspaper reports had the following:

A SCARISBRICK HERO

Sterling tributes to the late Lance-Corporal Thos, Marsden, of Smithy Lane, Scarisbrick, who was killed in action on the 2nd inst., have been received by his widow. 

His company commanding officer states:

“I feel I cannot speak too highly of his courage and cheerfulness under the most trying conditions, but it will help you in your sorrow to know he died instantly and suffered no pain. As his company commander I always placed the utmost reliance in your husband and I miss him more than I can say.”

Sergeant Finnamore of the same platoon writes:

“Your husband was killed in action by a shell on August 2^nd, whilst the battalion was attacking the Germans, I have had dear “Tommy” in my Lewis Gun Section for some time, and he was a grand chap- one of the very best who ever donned a suit of khaki. Unfortunately there were only a very few of my platoon who came out.”  

LANCE-CORPORAL T. MARSDEN.

of Smithy-lane,  Scarisbrick,  who was killed in action in France on August 2nd. He was attached to the Lewis Gun and joined the King’s Liverpool Regiment about 11 months ago, and went out to France earlier in the year. He was 23 years of age and leaves a widow and one child.

Thomas' body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, Belgium.

The site of the Menin Gate was chosen because of the hundreds of thousands of men who passed through it on their way to the battlefields. It commemorates casualties from the forces of Australia, Canada, India, South Africa and United Kingdom who died in the Salient. In the case of United Kingdom casualties, only those prior 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions). United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after that date are named on the memorial at Tyne Cot, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war. New Zealand casualties that died prior to 16 August 1917 are commemorated on memorials at Buttes New British Cemetery and Messines Ridge British Cemetery.

The YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick, was unveiled by Lord Plumer on 24 July 1927.

Soldiers Effects and Pension to widow Ellen.

Thomas is also commemorated on the  following Memorials:

Southport Civic Memorial

Scarisbrick War Memorial

St Mark’s C. of E. Church, Scarisbrick.

His father William died in 1930.

We currently have no further information on Thomas Marsden, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.