Orders, Decorations and Medals

Pair: Serjeant John Marsden, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Defence of Kimberley, Orange Free State, Transvaal (2960 Cpl., 1st L.N. Lanc. Regt.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps (2960 Serjt., L.N. Lanc. Regt.) edge bruising, badly worn (2) £120-160

John Marsden was born in Blackburn, Lancashire. A Weaver by occupation, he attested for service in the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, on 3 September 1889, aged 18 years, 10 months, having served in the 1st Volunteer Battalion East Lancashire Regiment. With the regiment he served overseas in Ceylon, October 1896-February 1899; South Africa, February 1899-October 1902 and September 1906-October 1907, and Mauritius, October 1907-December 1909. Gaining the rank of Serjeant in August 1896, he was tried by Court Martial and was reduced to Corporal in January 1900. During the Boer War he served at the defence of Kimberley and in October 1901 was promoted to Lance Serjeant, regaining the rank of Serjeant in December 1905. He was discharged on 2 September 1910 on the termination of his second period of engagement. With the onset of the Great War and being in the Army Reserve, he attested for service on 31 August 1914, being then aged 43 years, 11 months and employed as a Commissionaire. As a Serjeant in the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, he entered the France/Flanders theatre of war on 31 July 1915 and remained there until March 1919. He was promoted to Warrant Officer and Regimental Serjeant-Major on 14 September 1914. However on 10 November 1915 he was reduced to Private after being tried by General Court Martial and found guilty of drunkenness when on active service in the trenches. An additional sentence of penal servitude for three years was remitted by the G.O.C. 37th Division; his reduction in rank was remitted to that of serjeant by the 3rd Army Commander. As a Serjeant he was transferred to the Royal Engineers, Railway Transport Establishment on 1 August 1916. Marsden was discharged from the Army on 6 April 1919. He committed suicide by drowning at Ashton-under-Lyne, on 2 July 1950.

Sold with copied service papers, m.i.c. and extract from medal rolls.