Name
William Marslin (poss Marsling)
29/08/1879
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
25/08/1915
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
17463
Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
WOBURN ABBEY CEMETERY, CUINCHY
I. F. 3.
France
Headstone Inscription
He has no family inscription on his Headstone.
UK & Other Memorials
London Colney Village Memorial, London Colney Roll of Honour
Pre War
William MARSLIN was born on 29th August 1879, in London Colney, Hertfordshire, son of John Marslin an Agricultural Worker and Emma Marslin (nee Reeves). One of their thirteen Children although 2 died in infancy.
The Parish Baptism records, record he was Baptised on 5th October 1879, in London Colney, Herts, as William MASLIN.
1881 Census records Willam as Will (Marsling) aged 1, living with his parents, sister Alice (4) and brother Thomas (3) in London Colney, Herts. The family had a Boarder George Fane.
1891 Census records William (Marslin) aged (11), at School, living with his parents, brothers, Thomas (13), Fred (1), sisters Edith (9), Bertha (5) and Clara (3) in London Colney, Herts.
William aged 18 years, enlisted at St Albans, in the Bedfordshire Regiment, for 7 years with the Colours and 5 years in the Reserve, on 9th December 1897, issued with the service number 5896, on completion of his training he was posted to the 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment on 22nd February 1897. In January 1899, William and his Battalion were posted to the East Indies, returning home in October 1900. William was discharged medically unfit for further service, at St Georges Barrack in London, on 9th February 1901, completing 4 years and 63 days with the Colours.
1901 Census, William (Maslin) aged 21, was employed as a General Labourer, living with his parents, three brothers and three sisters at 65 Main road, London Colney, Herts. The family had a Boarder widow Charlotte Nicholson.
1911 Census, William (Marslin) aged 32, single, working as Labourer at the local gravel Pit, living with his parents, brother Fred (21) and sister Edith (11), in High Street, London Colney, Herts.
Wartime Service
At the outbreak of war William travelled to Blackburn in Lancashire, to enlist, (possible due to him being discharged medically unfit for military service in 1901) posted to the 1st Battalion, Cameronians, (Scottish Rifles), issued with the service number 17463. William arrived in France on 16th March 1915, seeing action on the Western Front he was Killed in Action just six months later 25th August 1915, aged 36. He is buried in Woburn Cemetery, Cuinchy, France. Grave Ref: I. F. 3.
Additional Information
His effects of £8-07s-06d, pay owing and his war gratuity of £3, went to his mother Emma.
His Bedfordshire Regiment service records for 1897 to 1901, are available on-line at Find my Past www.findmypast.co.uk and Ancestry UK www.ancestry.co.uk.
The spelling of his name varies depending on the documents from, Masling, Maslin, Marslin & Marsling.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Jonty Wild
