Report of death of William Ernest Marshall and James Johnson Sanderson
From the Bede College Magazine written by Joe Rotherham
Unhappily in return for your good news, it is my painful duty to inform you of the loss of two more Bede men, Sergeant J. J. Sanderson, and Lance-Corporal W. E. Marshall. The former was killed instantly by a shell while we were going into the line by way of a shallow trench, so we had to pass over several bodies, but in the darkness I did not notice they were ours.
After the bombardment our platoon including W. E. Marshall, took up a position in front of a wood which has so far defied our army, and here we connected the shell-holes to form a line of defence. But evidently the enemy’s observers had spotted us, for in the evening (May 3rd) we were suddenly shelled, the shells being so well on the mark that several of us received showers of earth, while the smoke was almost overpowering. Our officer at once gave the order to make for a line of shell-holes about two hundred yards to the rear, and it was after re-organising on this new position, we discovered that some men were missing, including W. E. Marshall.
When the enemy ceased shelling the evacuated position no trace of the men could be found. Next morning, however, three of us crept out and unearthed the remains of three men, but the others must be deep down, because we could find no trace at all. At night a party of men crept out and suitably marked the place with the names of the missing men.
Lce-Cpl. W. E. Marshall will be a great loss to our platoon, because he was such a keen and capable scout. Just before coming out I noticed that the last resting place of James Sanderson had been marked by a small wooden cross. I am sure his death is keenly felt by the whole Company.
Author: Joe Rotherham
Reference: https://www.dur.ac.uk/library/asc/roll/publications/
Where to find this: Bede Magazine August 1917 edition
Contributed by Fiona Johnson - Durham
