Arthur Marshall Oakden

Arthur Marshall was the son of William and Mary Elizabeth Oakden (née Marshall). His father William was born in 1853 at Nottingham, his mother Mary Elizabeth in 1854 at Bawtry, Nottinghamshire. They were married at Bawtry St Nicholas on 10 April 1880 and had seven children, six born in Nottingham and the youngest in Retford: Irene Mary b. 1881; Edward b. 1882 bap. Sneinton St Albans 31 August 1882; Margaret Helen b. 1883 bap. Nottingham St John 28 February 1883; Wiliam Marshall birth registered 1887 (J/F/M) bap. Nottingham St John 23 January 1887; George Marshall b. 1888 bap. Nottingham St John 19 April 1888; Arthur Marshall b. 4 April 1889 bap. Nottingham Emmanuel 17 May 1889 and Katherine Winifred b. 1893 bap. Retford St Swithun 6 June 1893. In 1881, the year after their marriage, William (28), a bank clerk, and Mary (27) were living at 10 Mansfield Grove, Nottingham. He employed one general domestic servant. They were living on Forest Road, Nottingham, in 1887 and 1888 when two of their children were baptised at St John's church, but had moved to 7 Vickers Street by 1889 and were recorded there on the 1901 Census along with their children: Irene (9), Edward (8), Margaret (7), Wiliam (3), George (3) and Arthur (2). Also in the household were two domestic servants William and Mary Elizabeth had moved to The Square, East Retford, by 1901; William was now a bank manager with the Nottingham & Notts Bank. Only four of their children were in the home on the night of the census: Irene a student, William, George and Katherine (7). William employed a cook and two housemaids. William and his wife continued to live at The Square although by 1911 only one of their children, Margaret, was in the household. Irene was a teacher at Cheltenham Ladies' College and a boarder at the college's Anstell House while her younger sister, Katherine, was a student at the college and a boarder at Sydney Lodge. William, a medical student, and George, a medical and dental student, were both living at 98 Denbigh Street near Hanover Square, London. Arthur and Edward were both living at 3 Fairfield Terrace, Ashton, Old Road, Manchester; Edward was an engineering student at the university Later records show that his parents lived at The Bank House, Retford. His parents then moved to Torquay, Devon, where William died on 29 April 1972. Probate was awarded to his surviving sons, Edward (engineer), William (surgeon) and George (surgeon). Mary Elizabeth was still living at the same address at the time of her death on 22 October 1942. Probate was awarded to her unmarried daughters Margaret and Katherine. William Marshall served as a captain (acting major) in the Royal Army Medical Corps in Salonika during the war and his brother George Marshall served as a surgeon lieutenant Royal Navy.

Educated Retford Grammar School. He entered the University of Manchester in 1911 as a student of engineering later becoming a Whitworth Exhibitioner and a student of the Institute of Civil Engineers. He distinguished himself in sports including rugby. He gave his occupation as mechanical engineer when he enlisted in 1914.

Enlisted London

Arthur Oakden served with a Territorial battalion of the East Lancashire Regiment for three years before the war and was a member of the University Officer Training Corps from November 1911 to September 1913. He enlisted on 21st September 1914 as a sapper, Deal Bn (1010). He was discharged on 25 October 1914 having been granted a commision - he was promoted temporary lieutenant Royal Marines on 26th October 1914 - and then served with the 1st Field Company, Royal Marines Divisional Engineers, Royal Naval Division. Arthur went with his company to Gallipoli and was in the first landing in April 1915. He died of a gunshot wound to the abdomen on 21st May 1915 and is buried at Lancashire Landings Cemetery, Gallipoli (grave ref. B.1). He was Mentioned in Dispatches (London Gazette 13th July 1916). CWGC - History of the Lancashire Landings Cemetery (extract): 'The eight month campaign in Gallipoli was fought by Commonwealth and French forces in an attempt to force Turkey out of the war, to relieve the deadlock of the Western Front in France and Belgium, and to open a supply route to Russia through the Dardanelles and the Black Sea. The Allies landed on the peninsula on 25-26 April 1915; the 29th Division at Cape Helles in the south and the Australian and New Zealand Corps north of Gaba Tepe on the west coast, an area soon known as Anzac. At Helles, the 29th Division landed troops at 'S,' 'V,' 'W,' 'X' and 'Y' Beaches, five small coves at or near the southern end of the peninsula. The landing at 'Y' Beach (Gurkha Bluffs) was carried out by the 1st King's Own Scottish Borderers and the Plymouth Battalion of the Royal Naval Division, but these troops were forced to re-embark on the following day. The 2nd Royal Fusiliers landed at 'X' Beach, followed by the rest of the 87th Brigade. Under very severe fire, the 1st Lancashire Fusiliers landed on 'W' Beach and cut their way through wire entanglements and trenches to the edge of the cliff. They and the other battalions of the 88th Brigade established themselves on the hills of Tekke Burnu and Helles Burnu. The beach became known as Lancashire Landing. The greater part of the cemetery (Rows A to J and part of Row L) was made between the landing in April 1915 and the evacuation of the peninsula in January 1916.' (www.cwgc.org)

Arthur is also commemorated on two University of Manchester war memorials: WMR16001 (WW1 & WW2): (WW1) Members of the University of Manchester and Officer Training Corps (also known as University of Manchester 'The Quad Memorial'). University of Manchester, Oxford Street M13 9QQ. Names listed by unit - Royal Marines. Lt. AM Oakden WM85062: Manchester University Engineering Department. University of Manchester, George Begg Building, Saville Street M1 3RB CWGC headstone personal inscription: 'Greater love hath no man than this' CWGC Additional information: 'Son of William and Mary Elizabeth Oakden, of The Bank House, Retford.' Worksop Guardian, 28 May 1915: 'Lieut. A M Oakden. Information reached Retford on Saturday of the death of Lieut. A M Oakden of the Royal Naval Division, Engineer Unit, youngest son of Mr W Oakden, manager of the Nottingham and Notts Bank, Retford. The young officer, who was educated at Retford Grammar School, was wounded in the Dardanelles and died in hospital.' Photograph included in original publication. Nottingham Evening Post, 24 May 1915: ‘News Items. Lieut. Arthur M Oakden, RM, 1st Field Company Engineer Unit RND, who died of wounds received during the operations at the Dardanelles, was the youngest son of Mr and Mrs William Oakden of Retford.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)