Pte 36040 William Marshall

• Age: 29
• From: Ainsdale
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Wednesday 1st August 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

William Marshall was born in 1888 in Ainsdale and was baptised on the 15^th April, 1888 at Ainsdale. He was the son of  Paul Marshall and his wife and Ellen (nee Ainscough). His parents married at St Peter's Church, Everton in 1873.

The 1891 Census finds the family are living in the Rotunda buildings, Liverpool Road, Formby. William's father Paul is a 41 year old farm labourer born in Scarisbrick,  whilst his mother Ellen is 36 years of age and was born in Wales. They have four children living with them;  Alice A. aged 12 born Ainsdale, Joseph 10 scholar born Ainsdale, Mary E. 9 scholar born Birkdale, and William 3 born Ainsdale.

On the 1901 Census the family are living at 14 Mill Lane, Ainsdale. His father Paul is now 51 and still a farm labourer, mother Ellen is 46. They haveseven children in the household; Thomas 26 farm labourer, John 24 farm labourer, Alice A. 22, Mary E. 18, William 13, Paul 11, Edward 5 (all born Ainsdale?).

The 1911 Census shows the family are still living at 14 Mill Lane, Ainsdale.  His father, Paul is aged 61, born in Scarisbrick in 1850  and is a farm worker. His wife Ellen aged 56 was born in 1855 in Swansea. They have been married for 37 years and have had ten children of which two have died. Those listed in the household on the Census are;  Mary Ellen aged 28, born 1883 occupation laundress, William aged 23 born 1888 is a van driver, Paul aged 18 born 1893 is a boot maker and Edward aged 16, born 1895 is a shop boy in a grocers. The children were all born in Ainsdale.

William enlisted in 1916 at Southport and was serving in the 20th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 36040 when he killed in action on the 1^st August, 1917 aged 29 during the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele). William was killed in action during the Battle of Pilkem Ridge. His battalion were pinned down in a shallow trench under heavy shelling.

The 20th Battalion diary gives details of the circumstances that the Battalion found themselves in during the early phases of the 3rd Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele). Having taken part in the initial fighting of 31st July 1917 there is a general write up in relation to the period 01st -08th August and specifics solely from the 03rd August onwards. 

20^th Battalion Diary 01^st August – 08^th August

The Battalion continued to hold the position taken up on the morning of 31^st July. After the first day the weather was very wet and the going very difficult, but the men’s spirits remained wonderfully good. From time to time there was very heavy enemy shelling and in addition to this machine guns and snipers were very active. The work of communication was extremely difficult and the wires to Companies and to Battalions on our flanks were repeatedly cut and were only kept going by most excellent work by our linesmen, who suffered very heavy casualties as also did the runners. 

Southport Visiter dated 1st September 1917:

Private Marshall was the fourth son of Mr & Mrs Marshall, 14 Mill Lane, Ainsdale, and was 29 years of age. Prior to the war he was employed by Messrs Coulton. He joined the Army early in 1916, and went to the front in July of that year. Two other brothers, Joseph and Edward, were serving in France at the time, and another in England. 

William 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 to father Paul, Pension to father Paul and mother Ellen.

William is commemorated on the family headstone and on the following Memorials:

Southport Civic Memorial

Ainsdale Civic Memorial 

Ainsdale United Reformed Church

His mother died in the September quarter of 1934 aged 69.

His father died in the March quarter of 1934, aged 83. 

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