British WWI Cavalry Survivor Dies at 108

AP ^ | 5/20/05

[Borges]

LONDON - Albert Marshall, believed to have been the last surviving British cavalryman to serve in World War I, has died. He was 108.

Albert Marshall, who was nicknamed "Smiler" by his fellow soldiers, died in his sleep Monday at his home in Ashtead, near London, his son, John, said Friday.

Marshall, then 17, lied about his age to join the army, and in later years recalled joining in cavalry charges with drawn swords.

He spoke of seeing a charge by troops from the Oxford and Bucks regiment, newly arrived from England. "They were very smart — new uniforms — and eager to get into the attack," Marshall said two years ago in an interview for the Royal British Legion's magazine.

At dawn, 800 charged over the top of the trenches into withering German fire.

"By about 8:30 we saw no more than seven or eight of them struggling back towards us. We couldn't believe our eyes. All those young men we had shared our breakfast with were dead."

"One of our officers went forward with a white flag and the Germans signaled that it was all right for us to come out and bury our dead. It was a terrible sight.

"We rolled them into shell holes and covered them best we could. As we tramped back, we were treading on them."

Marshall, who served with the Essex Yeomanry in Flanders, was shot in the hand and spent much of 1917 recovering in England, but returned to duty the following year with the Machine Gun Corps. He later received the French Legion of Honor

"We as a family never knew a thing about his war experiences. We knew he was in the First World War, obviously, but it was not a subject spoken about," John Marshall said.

"It was only when he joined the veterans' association and all the media attention he received after his 100th birthday that we learned about what he did."

Marshall is survived by his son and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

[nuconvert]

pong

[Perdogg]

God Rest his soul.

[spokeshave]

""It was only when he joined the veterans' association and all the media attention he received after his 100th birthday that we learned about what he did."

Oh that we should be so lucky that J f'n "flip-flop fop" Kerry would follow the example of this genuine hero.

[Pomian]

LONDON - Albert Marshall, believed to have been the last surviving British cavalryman to serve in World War I, has died. He was 108.


Must have been a lucky guy!

Rest in Peace.

[TADSLOS]

Interesting read. Puts today's conflict in perspective

Essex Yeomanry War Diary

[minus_273]

no british cavalry charge story would be complete without a clip of the charge of the light brigade from the earlier crimean war.
this is the recording of the actual bugle from the charge. hope that sets the mood for you fellas.

[SteveMcKing]

'God Rest his soul.'

And God save Great Britain. Though we know it's too late.

[billorites]

Half a geek,
Half a geek,
Half a geek,
Onward
Into the valley of Death...

[Bahbah]

Rest in peace dear soldier.

[Teplukin]

My great-uncle was in a calvary unit that was one of the first to cross the Rhine after the Armistice. The insignia of his calvary outfit was a Mohawk in headdress. Upon entering Germany, this outfit did not see a single soul for three days.

Apparently the Germans stayed in their homes, fearing that real live American Indians, with a penchant for scalping Whites, had descended on their town.

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

Thanks for finding and posting.

[Marine_Uncle]

I salute his courage. Apparently the good Lord wanted him to stay around for a while.

[DJ Taylor]

Some die shouting in gas or fire;
Some die silent, by shell and shot.
Some die desperate, caught on the wire;
Some die suddenly. This will not.

Rudyard Kipling

[Frank_2001]

RIP