Malvern College First World War Casualty

Lieutenant John Ralph Theodore Marsham

Photo of John Ralph Theodore Marsham
House and time at Malvern: Sch, 1900 - 1902.

Regiment: Worcestershire Regt.
Died: 26 February 1919 aged 34 in United Kingdom. Died of pneumonia.
Cemetery: Winchester West Hill Old Cemetery 40 2927

Son of Rev. the Hon. John and Mrs. Marsham, of St. Clair, Seaford, Sussex, and St. Maur, Newton Abbot, b. 1885.
Middle IV—Middle Shell.
South African Police; Farmer in Canada.
Great War, Private Strathcona's Horse 1914, 2nd Lieutenant 11th Bn. Worcestershire Regiment transf. to Labour Corps.
(overseas); severely wounded 1915; attached Hants Regt. Died at Winchester, February 26, 1919.

'Marsham had a varied life before the War. He was for a time in the South African Police, then in India, and finally engaged in farming in Canada. He enlisted as a Private in Strathcona's Horse, and soon obtained a commission in the 11th Worcesters. In October, 1915, he was very severely wounded in the right arm—a wound which caused him intense and prolonged pain and prevented him taking the field again. When he had to some extent recovered he joined up again and was attached to the Hampshire Regiment for work in connection with agriculture. He died of pneumonia, at Winchester, on February 26th, 1919.' (Malvernian, Nov 1919).

He served in 'D' Company of the 11th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment. Whilst training he was wounded by shelling at Maricourt, on the Somme river bank on the 7th October 1915. After he was wounded he was awarded the Silver War Badge and then served with the Labour Corps.

He married Olive Hill in 1918. He later died age 32 on the 27th February 1919, of pneumonia following on from his wounds.
Worcestershire regiment

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