Loading...Contents |
Biography
Service started:
Unit(s):
Service ended:
Alfred Ernest Marshall was born on May 15, 1915 in Portsmouth, England, son of Alfred Ernest Marshall and Hilda Beatrice Godden. He attended Worcester Royal Grammar School from 1927 to 1930.
Family
Alfred (23) and Beatrice Mary Hagel(26) were married in December, 1938 in Sunderland, Durham, England. They lived together on Bearton Road in the small town of Hitchen. Together, they had two children, Ernest Barry and Lorraine.
Occupation
After working in a factory he enlisted as an aircraft apprentice in 1931. During May 1940 he joined 73 Squadron in France and took part in the defence of Dunkirk. On returning to England he fought during the Battle of Britain prior to being posted to the Western Desert in November 1940. It was here that he achieved the most number of kills, shooting down 13 enemy aircraft, which led to him being awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal. At Benghazi he captured an Italian flag which his mother later donated to the school as a token of his affectionate memories of the time he spent there.
Following his commission he flew Kittyhawks with 250 Squadron with whom he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for successfully shooting down further enemy aircraft. His shooting down of a total of 19 and a half enemy aircraft earned him the distinction of being classified a fighter 'ace'.
Returning to England, Alfred joined the 51 OUT as an instructor where he remained until July 1944. He was then posted to 25 Squadron where he flew Mosquitoes in night operations. Having shot down a V1 he spent the later months of 1944 hunting He111s[1], which were launching V1s over the North Sea, shooting one down in October.
Death & Legacy
On November 27th, 1944 he was carrying out a low level mission in his De Havilland Mosquito XVII[2] when his wing tip hit the ground after taking off Castle Camps to perform an air test. His aircraft crashed resulting in the death of both Alfred and his navigator[1][2]. Alfred was buried at Hitchin Cemetery in Hertfordshire[3]. He is credited with having shot down sixteen Axis aircraft, with a share in two more destroyed. He also is believed to have probably destroyed two aircraft and damaged one. One V-1 flying bomb was claimed as destroyed and Marshall also shared in the destruction of eight aircraft on the ground.
Sources
- ↑ https://www.rememberthefallen.co.uk/casualty/marshall-alfred-ernest
- ↑ The Airmen's Stories - Sgt. A E Marshall (accessed 10 September 2024)
- ↑
Memorial:
"Commonwealth War Graves Commission", database with images
Hitchin Cemetery, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom. (Plot: N.W. Extn. Grave 381)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission Record (accessed 10 September 2024)
Memorial page for Alfred Ernest Marshall. Service number: 47124; Rank: Flight Lieutenant; Died: 27 November 1944; Age: 29.
Regiment & Unit/Ship: 25 Sqdn., Royal Air Force (United Kingdom); Additional Info: Son of Alfred Ernest and Hilda Beatrice Marshall; husband of Beatrice Mary Marshall, of Hitchin.
