GUNNER HARRY HUGH MARSH: 137117
174th Seige Battery Royal Garrison Artillery.
Harry was the youngest of the five children born to Albert and Emma Marsh. He had two older siblings – Albert and Elise but two others, Florence and George died in infancy.
The family lived at 14 West Bay Road and at one time Albert Senior worked as a labourer at the nearby brewery. Before the war, Harry also worked as a labourer and both his mother and sister were laundresses.
After the outbreak of war, Harry joined the Royal Garrison Artillery and was part of the 174th Siege Battery which was raised in Weymouth on June 13th, 1916 from the Dorsetshire Royal Garrison Artillery Territorial Force. It comprised initially of 3 officers and 76 other ranks.
The new Battery left to serve on the Western Front in October 1916.
Harry was involved in many major engagements and on May 21st, 1917 he was part of the force providing the preliminary bombardment of the Messine Ridge prior to the denotation of 19 mines below the surface of the ridge.
The Battery continued to provide massive artillery support and fighting in the area continued.
Ten days after the initial assault, Harry was wounded and on June 3rd. he died from his injuries.
His parents were to lose their second son =Albert, a year later.
Harry is buried at the Klein-Vierstraat British Cemetery, West Vlaaderen, Belgium