Private John Herbert Marsh, Manchester Regiment 2nd/7th Btn,WW1

Name John Herbert Marsh

Regiment Manchester Rgt. 2nd/7th Btn

Service Rank and Number Private 400602

Military Cemetery/Memorial Coxyde Military Cemetery

Ref No. of Grave or Memorial I.L.53

Country of Cemetery/Memorial Belgium

Medals Awarded British War Medal 1914-1920 and The Victory Medal 1914 -1919

Date and Circumstances of Death Killed in action in France on 23rd July 1917 aged 25

Biographical Details Known The Marsh family has been traced back to the Penistone/Wortley area of the West Riding of Yorkshire where they were sheep farmers and stone masons. Thomas Robert Marsh moved to relatives (also stonemasons) in the Tranmere area in the 1870s. In 1880 he married Mary Foulkes, a young woman who lived in Cheshire but whose father James (a joiner) came from Northop. Robert and Mary lived for some time in Yacht Terrace (alongside Plymouth House with which there was a family connection). Mary was known as the unofficial midwife of Northop. All stonemasons have their own mark and the Marsh 'logo' was a female and male hand clasped together. The family was closely involved with Northop band.

Robert and Mary had seven sons and three daughters. John Herbert was born in 1892 in Northop. He played cricket for Northop and also played the violin. A family legend tells of Herbert calling in at the Bridge Inn in Mold on his way to the front and telling his friend prophetically, that he would not be coming back. Before joining the army he worked at the Motor Garage, Chester Road. Mold In 1914 he married Annie Williams from Fron Fownog, Sychdyn. Herbert was killed in 1917 leaving his wife and two daughters, Rosalind and Nellie. Rosalind also played the violin and she became a teacher at Ysgol Sychdyn.

The Marsh family from Northop provided several servicemen for the First World War. Herbert's older brother Edwin Arthur Marsh (Royal Field Artillery 79662) was also killed and he is remembered on the Parish Memorial in the church at Northop and has his own page on this website. Brother Charles was injured in the war, Wilson served in the army and Fred in the navy. (Fred lived in a house named Wortley near the church in Northop)

Both of the Marsh boys John Herbert and Edwin Arthur, are commemorated on a Marsh Family grave in Northop churchyard.