Digitized Service Record
Source: Via Mark Carmichael Excel spreadsheet dated September 2025 re. soldiers of the 116th Battalion that served with the 18th.
Family Search: When Private Edwin Frederick Marsh was born on 1 July 1900, in London, England, United Kingdom, his father, Edwin Marsh, was 27 and his mother, Florence Ellen Buckingham, was 20. He married Winona Rose Lay on 23 February 1923, in Hamilton, Ohio, United States. They were the parents of at least 2 daughters. He lived in Justice Precinct 5, Bexar, Texas, United States in 1940 and Bexar, Bexar, Texas, United States in 1950. He died on 17 April 1963, in San Antonio, Bexar, Texas, United States, at the age of 62, and was buried in Somerset, Bexar, Texas, United States.
Private Edwin Frederick Marsh
Reg. no. 775346
Standing almost 4 inches taller than the average enlistee of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, the newly minted Private in the CEF passed himself off as being 19 years and 4 months old when he was actually 15 years and 5 months old.
Born on 1 July 1900 in London (Belvedere), England, Marsh attested he was actually born on the same day, but in 1896 and that he was born at Acton, Peel County, Ontario.
This subterfuge was never discovered, and he entered military service as a Private with the 126th Overseas Battalion at Toronto, Ontari,o on 6 December 1915. He stated he was a “Spinner” by trade and unmarried. He listed his mother, Florence, as his next-of-kin.
He embarked for England from Halifax on 14 August 1916 and arrived at Liverpool 10 days later on the SS Empress of Britain.
His stay with the 126th Battalion overseas was short, as it was broken up as replacements for line battalions and on 15 October he was transferred to the 116th Battalion at Bramshott Camp.
He did not have long to wait, as he was transferred to the 18th Battalion for active combat service effective 28 November 1916, and arrived “in the field” on 3 December 1916.
On 15 August 1917, he was wounded with a GSW to the right thigh and was transported to England aboard the hospital ship AT Brighton.
He was treated in England and was transferred after release from hospital on 25 January 1918 to the 4th Reserve Battalion at Bramshott.
He did not return to combat duty, perhaps due to an irregular heartbeat. At some time during his time in England, he was struck by an automobile while bicycling.
He returned to Canada aboard the SS Melita, leaving 10 December 1918, and was discharged due to demobilization on 17 January 1919.
He is recorded to be living at 164 Toronto Avenue in Hamilton, Ontario in 1921 and sometime after that emigrated to the United States.
History of the 18th Battalion CEF, "The Fighting Eighteenth" 