Ralph Marsh

Bank: London County & Westminster Bank

Place of work: Frinton-on-Sea branch

Died: 12 April 1918

Ralph Hedley Marsh was born in Clapham, London, on 10 October 1892, the youngest of 9 children of Ben and Sarah Marsh. Ben Marsh died when Ralph was only two years old, and Ralph and his sister Kate went to live with their married eldest sister, Annie, in Rochester.

Ralph was educated at a mathematical school in Rochester. In April 1910, when he was 17 years old, he went to work for London County & Westminster Bank.

In November 1915 Marsh left his job as a clerk at the bank's Frinton-on-Sea branch to join the army, serving initially in the London Regiment and later in the Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment. In 1917 he became a commissioned officer.

By April 1918 Second Lieutenant Marsh was at Hangard Village near Amiens in France, fighting alongside Australian forces to stem the advance of the German army following the launch of their last offensive of the war. He was killed in action there on 12 April 1918. He was 25 years old.