Marshall was born in Manchester in June 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. Marshall married Edith Maud Taylor, daughter of successful maltster Mr. Henry Algernon Taylor on 20 September 1911. He started off the First World War in Argentina, buying horses but then enlisted in the
Irish Guards.
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 (Belgium) and was made a Chevalier of the
Order of Leopold (Belgium). His Victoria Cross is displayed at The Guards Regimental Headquarters (Irish Guards RHQ), London, England. Marshall is commemorated at Harlow War Memorial Institute and on their website. Marshall is also commemorated in the
Old Harlow Baptist Church,
St Mary's (Churchgate Street) and
St Mary-at-Latton churches on their memorials to the fallen of Harlow. James Marshall is also mentioned several times in
Pat Barker's
Booker Prize-winning novel
The Ghost Road, in which he is referred to as 'Colonel Marshall-of-the-Ten-Wounds'. ==References==