British War Medal 1914 - 20.
L-6609 Cpl. J. Marchant, Middlesex Regiment.
John Marchant was born in the parish of Old Ford, London around the year 1882. At the age of 18, he was working as a labourer but, deciding that the army life would be more to his liking, attested for the Middlesex Regiment at Stratford on 19th October 1900, enlisting for three years with the Colours and nine years in the Reserve. His Service Papers describe him as just over 5' 6" tall, weighing 117lbs and with a fresh complexion, hazel eyes, brown hair and a scar on his right knee. He is recorded on the 1901 Census as a 19 year old private with the 4th Middlesex Regiment.
From March to September 1902, he served with the 3rd Battalion in St Helena and afterwards proceeded to South Africa, where he was granted his first Good Conduct Pay and appointed Lance Corporal. In June 1904, John returned to the UK and shortly after was transferred to the Army Reserve. In December of the same year, he rejoined the Colours in order to complete eight years service and in January 1905 was posted to the 1st Battalion in India. Here he was granted his second Good Conduct Pay and obtained a certificate in butchery. In November 1908, he returned to the UK and once more was transferred to the Reserve.
On the 18th July 1914, John Marchant married Kate Harvey but had little time to enjoy wedded bliss. Following the outbreak of the First World War, John was recalled from the Reserve and went to France with the 1st Middlesex on 11th August 1914. The Battalion took part in the Battles of Mons and Le Cateau and the subsequent retreat, and later saw action on the Aisne and the Marne. John stayed on the Western Front till returning to England in January 1915. Back in France in December, he rejoined the 1st Battalion and was promoted to Corporal in February 1916. At the beginning of the year, the 1st Middlesex had been engaged in routine trench warfare in the area of Cuinchy and had had a fairly uneventful time. March was enlivened by a number of bombing raids on the enemy trenches.
On 19th March, John Marchant was wounded in the eye and four days later was evacuated to England. He spent the rest of the war on home service and was eventually discharged on 23rd March 1919. In the years after the war, he worked as a pointsman at the Bow Depot of the London County Council Tramways Department.
John Marchant wearing Corporal's Stripes and an unidentified medal ribbon - possibly for the Queen's South Africa Medal. He also has the crossed rifles of a Marksman on his left sleeve.
Read more about the exploits of the 1st Middlesex in the Great War here.
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