Frank Sydney Marsh

2^nd Lieutenant, Royal Marine Light Infantry

Frank Sydney Marsh was born in December 1893 in Camberwell and was a pupil at Alleyn’s from September 1904 until April 1909. He lived at 94 Elphindale Road in Herne Hill and also at 22 Maryland Road in Thornton Heath  during this time. His father was an officer in the Merchant Navy and on leaving School Frank started work as a Junior Clerk with Burroughs & Wellcome, now known as the Wellcome Trust. It is also known that he played in the fourth team of Dulwich Hamlet Football Club which was called Dulwich St Barnabas FC. He had been appointed their team Vice-Captain for the 1914/15 season.

Frank joined the war effort firstly in the 21st County London Regiment, and then, in 1916, in the Inns of Court Officer Training Corps. By 1917 he was part of the Royal Marine Light Infantry and received the rank of 2^nd Lieutenant after completing his Officer Training. During his time with the Marines, Frank saw service on the Western Front in France and Flanders. In 1917, he took part in the Battle of Arras which the British hoped would produce a breakthrough on the Western Front. It was during this action that Frank went missing in action and was later presumed to have been killed on April 28^th 1917. He is commemorated on the Arras Memorial.

With thanks to Roger Deason, author of "When Shall their Glory Fade? Dulwich Hamlet: First World War Roll of Honour" for some of this information.