This cross was erected by
the parish to the Glory of God
and in memory of
1079DA Deck Hand Herbert Eagle, Royal Naval Reserve HM Drifter Ocean Plough.
Born on 3rd. September 1892 at Whittlesom near Ipswich, Suffolk, the son of Joseph Eagle of Priory Road, Wrentham, Suffolk.
Native of Covehithe.
Ocean Plough was a 99 ton drifter built by Crabtree & Co. Ltd. of Great Yarmouth, Norfolk in 1912 for Bloomfields Ltd. of Great Yarmouth. The drifter was hire by the Admiralty for war duties and given the Admiralty Number 250.
From the 27th. March 1915, Ocean Plough served as mark boat at the Jim Hour Shoal Buoy, and although unarmed attempted on several occasions to ram enemy submarines.
27th. August 1916 while in the tow of the Auxiliary Paddle Minesweeper HMS Clacton Belle, Ocean Plough struck a mine off Lowestoft, Suffolk, laid by the German minelaying submarine UC1, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Kurt Ramien, and sank in position 52°27’N, 01°52’30”E with the loss of 3 deck hands and 2 enginemen. The skipper and two crewmen survived.
Herbert died, aged 23, on Sunday 27th. August 1916. He has no known grave and is commemorated on Panel 19 of the Chatham Naval Memorial, Chatham, Kent.
532 ES Engineman Richard Norman Brabben, Royal Naval Reserve HM Drifter Ocean Plough.
Born on 24th. July 1893 at Covehithe, the son of James and Ellen Brabben of Covehithe.
Richard died, aged 23, on Sunday 27th. August 1916 in the same incident as Herbert Eagle, above. Richard has no known grave and is commemorated on Panel 19 of the Chatham Naval Memorial, Chatham, Kent.
Frederick G. Walker.
Of the 14 Frederick Walker's and 8 F.G. Walkers recorded by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, no connection to Covehithe could be found.
4336 Private Frederick W. Marshall, 5th. (Royal Irish) Lancers.
Born on 3rd January 1873 at Braintree, Essex, the son of Thomas and Esther Marshall.
Husband of Ellen Maria Marshall, nee Napthine of Marsh Cottage, Covehithe. Ellen was born at nearby Bulcamp (Blything Union) workhouse in 1882, the second of five children to Charles, an agricultural labourer, and Mary Ann Napthine.
Before enlisting at the age of 21 years and 1 month, Frederick worker in a public house as a potman.
Attested on 3rd. February 1894, Frederick was certified as fit for duty with the Corps of Lancers, part of the elite Cavalry of the Line. He is recorded as standing 5ft 9½ in. tall, weighing 146 lb. with a chest measurement from 34 to 36 in. with brown hair, grey eyes and a fair complexion his only recorded distinctive mark was a mole on his left shoulder.
Posted two days later to 5th. (Royal Irish) Lancers for a period of 7 years with the Colours and 5 in the Reserve, he joined the Regiment on 7th. February 1894.
Service at home for the following 218 days saw Frederick training to become a cavalry soldier. For Frederick, this period also included 6 days hospitalisation from 26th. April, recorded as 'Sore Throat from a slight chill' and a further 27 days from 7th. June with Follicular Tonsillitis, treated with tonics, before being declared fit for service on 8th. September.
He was subsequently posted to India for a period lasting 3 years and 205 days, embarking with the rest of the regiment on the SS Victoria on 13th. September 1894, being stationed in Muttra on arrival.
There followed a period in Kalana from 15th. April 1895 before a return to Muttra on 7th. October. Here, Frederick was hospitalised again from 27th. October until 7th. November, 21st. November until the 27th. and once more from 19th. December until the 4th. February 1895, the doctors noting 'Climate Mild - Winter' each time. Frederick was further hospitalised with ague from 21st. June 1896 for five days; 'Climate Mild - Quinine' and again from 14th. July for 24 days: 'Contagion, Slight' During the summer of 1897, a severe outbreak of cholera saw some fatalities occur in the Regiment. Frederick escaped this but reported sick for 11 days from 26th. October 1897.
Meanwhile, tensions were mounting in South Africa and on 29th. January 1898, the regiment handed over their horses to a detachment of the 9th. Lancers and left Muttra by train the following day. Embarking aboard Royal Indian Marine ship Clive on 8th. February, they arrived off Durban on 24th. February, disembarking on 5th. March, due to a case of smallpox amongst the ships crew, before proceeding by rail to Pinetown where they camped under canvas. Entraining at 1.30pm on 10th March, they reached Ladysmith at 5am the following morning, taking over the horses and quarters of 9th Lancers. Here, Frederick was hospitalised twice, firstly with fever lasting 32 days from 11th. April and then with ague from 6th. June for another three days.
Frederick's documents record him being stationed at Maritzburg from 10th. October 1898, though 5th. Lancers records state 24th. October as the date they left Ladysmith, arriving on the 29th. He spent 14 days in hospital there from 23rd. March 1899 for a facial wound, 'Injury - contusion wound on left cheek' following which a court of enquiry on 9th. May 1899 recorded: 'Opinion will not interfere with his future efficiency' though he was to spend 13 days in hospital from 30th. August with neuralgia of the face, a stabbing, burning, and often severe pain due to an irritated or damaged nerve.
On 25th September the regiment began leaving for Ladysmith. War was declared on 11th October 1899. The 5th Lancers first battle came on 20th. October. On 2nd. June 1902 came news of the declaration of peace and soon after the Regiment moved to East London and embarked for Southampton arriving on 21st. October having lost 3 officers and 80 other ranks killed during their time in South Africa.
By the time he was posted home on 11th. August 1902 after a period of 4 years and 129 days, Frederick had earned the Queens South Africa Medal with Clasps for Cape Colony, Orange Free State, the Defence of Ladysmith, Elandslaagte, and Transvaal along with the Kings South Africa Medal and Clasps for South Africa 1901 and South Africa 1902.
Due to being overseas, he had served a total of 8 years, six months and four days with the colours and was therefore transferred to the First Class Reserve for a period of less than four years from 16th. November 1902 until 3rd. February 1906. The First Class reserve consisted of men who had completed colour service and had paid reserve commitments under their original contract. Following this, Frederick re-engaged with Section D of the Second Class Reserve on 29th. January 1906, dated from 3rd. February, for a further four years and once again on 10th. August 1909 for four more concurrently from 3rd. February 1910. He re-engaged for a final term with the Reserves from 3rd. July 1914, service granted until reaching the age of 42 on 3rd. January 1915.
One month later, on 4th. August 1914, Frederick was mobilised, dated 5th. August, joining 6th. Reserve Cavalry Regiment on 22nd. August before returning to 5th. Lancers and being posted to France on 12th. November for active service.
Before leaving, he married Ellen Maria Napthine on 19th. October 1914.
Arriving at Rouen on 14th. November, Frederick joined his regiment in the Ypres salient. 5th. Lancers left their billets on the 19th., marching to Hooge before relieving 4th. Dragoon Guards in trenches 4 miles from Ypres. Periodic shelling and rifle fire was experienced but no attacks occurred before the regiment left the trenches and returned to billets. Here they largely remained for the next two months, initially at Doulieu before moving to Remilly on 14th. January 1915 and Souverain on the 31st.
Under orders to move from billets in support of 1st. or 2nd. Armies at short notice from 1st February, on the 12th. elements of the regiment moved to Ypres, subsequently relieving the Essex Yeomanry. D Squadron was assigned to act as divisional squadron, building support trenches and redoubts while the remaining squadrons manned the line, being in and out of the trenches until the 24th. when they returned to billets for training, which continued through until Frederick was posted out of 5th. Lancers on 23rd. April 1915, being invalided home from France on 5th May 1915 with bronchitis and laryngitis caused by active service.
Posted to 6th. Reserve Cavalry Regiment on 30th. May 1915 he was finally discharged from 5th. Lancers on 8th. January 1916 under Paragraph 392 XXI of Kings Regulations: 'termination of his period of engagement' at Dublin, aged 43 years, having served a total of 21 years, 340 days with a pension entitlement for 13 years, 157 days service. Described as being 5ft 11 inches tall and with a chest measuring 35-37 inches, his trade was listed as Groom and his intended place of residence as 8 Redcliffe Road, Chelmsford, a two bedroom terraced house built in 1893. His 'Military Character on Discharge' was recorded as 'Good during service' and his 'Character awarded in accordance with Kings Regulations' as 'hardworking, sober, trustworthy'.
Due to his service during the First World War, Frederick was awarded the 1914 Star with a date of entry into theatre of 12th November 1914, along with the British War Medal and Victory Medal. He was subsequently granted Silver War Badge 65880 on 25th. November 1916, issued to service personnel who had been honourably discharged due to wounds or sickness from military service.
Now home, Frederick and Ellen had their only child, Herbert Frederick Marshall who was born on 3rd. March 1916 at Covehithe.
On 17th. January 1917, Frederick was assessed for his pension and granted 25 shillings with a children's allowance of 2 shillings and sixpence from 3rd. March 1916. The report of the Medical Board recorded tuberculosis of lungs and larynx, expanding: "...April '16 Chelmsford - began to be bothered with a cough and loss of weight - also coughed up some blood. Since then has got gradually worse. Oct '16 had a severe attack of haemorrhage. Had bronchitis in France 5/5/15, invalided home, also laryngitis caused by active service. Infection of lungs weakened by bronchitis contracted on active service. Looks very ill, weak and emaciated. Severe paroxysmal cough with plenty of expectoration streaked with blood. Moist ... & crepitation found at both ... ...on slightest exertion. Weight formerly 13 st. 2 lb. now about 10 st. Result of active service. Inspection of lungs weakened by bronchitis on active service. Permanent. Totally prevents. No employment since April '16. Present weekly earnings :- Nil." The report submitted on 22nd. January 1917 recorded: "Total Incapacity. 25/. a week from date of expiration of last grant and for 26 weeks from the following Wednesday. Ex 9.10.17." A further report dated 29th. February recorded: "Total incapacity (100)." The Invalid Board ratified the pension at 27 shillings and sixpence with a further 5 shillings for 1 child from 4th April 1917, the last award cancelled from this date. His Service Pension was assessed as Class V and the Board's final Decision awarded: "27 shillings and sixpence for 78 weeks and 5/- for one child from 4.4.17. 18.11.20 SERVICE PENSION Thirteen (13d) pence a day for life from 4.4.17."
Frederick died, aged 43, on Tuesday 20th. November 1917. He is buried to the north east of St. Andrew's church at Covehithe.
Who gave their lives for
their country in the
Great War
1914 - 1918
