branch commands death_place death_date birth_place allegiance unit image_size battles birth_date placeofburial rank image article_title name
united kingdom 16th bn , the lancashire fusiliers sambre -- oise canal , france 4 november 1918 manchester , lancashire united kingdom irish guards 125 world war i 12 june 1887 ors communal cemetery lieutenant colonel victoria cross medal without bar.png james marshall -lrb- vc -rrb-
 james neville marshall
james marshall -lrb- vc -rrb-

james neville marshall vc , mc & bar -lrb- 12 june 1887 -- 4 november 1918 -rrb- , was an english recipient of the victoria cross , the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to british and commonwealth forces .
marshall was born in manchester in 1887 .
his family moved to oxford road , acocks green , birmingham in around 1894 , his father being a draper .
james neville went to king edwards school and after leaving worked at the birmingham and midland institute and in the medical faculty of the university of birmingham in a clerical capacity .
he studied veterinary practice , then worked in this field in harlow , essex .
he started off the first world war in argentina , buying horses but then enlisted in the irish guards .
he was 31 years old , and an acting lieutenant colonel in the irish guards , british army , attached to the lancashire fusiliers , commanding 16th battalion during the first world war at the battle of sambre when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the vc .
on 4 november 1918 at the sambre -- oise canal , near catillon , france , when a partly constructed bridge was badly damaged before the advanced troops of his battalion could cross , lieutenant colonel marshall organised repair parties .
the first party were soon killed or wounded , but the colonel 's personal example was such that more volunteers were instantly forthcoming .
under intense fire and with complete disregard of his own safety he stood on the bank encouraging his men and helping in the work .
when the bridge was repaired he attempted to lead his men across , but was killed in the attack .
wilfred owen was killed in the same engagement soon after the bridge was crossed as he encouraged his men .
he was also awarded the croix de guerre -lrb- belgium -rrb- and was made a chevalier of the order of leopold -lrb- belgium -rrb- .
his victoria cross is displayed at the guards regimental headquarters -lrb- irish guards rhq -rrb- , london , england .
lt col marshall is commemorated on the harlow war memorial institute website hwmi.co.uk marshall is also commemorated in both the st.marys -lrb- churchgate street -rrb- and old harlow baptists ' church on their memorials to the fallen of harlow .
