Private Dan Marsh
5770 1st East Lancashire Regiment
Killed in Action 1st July 1916, aged 21
Lived at 103 Gordon Street
Buried in Redan Ridge Cemetery No. 2, France - A.67
Commemorated on Burnley Lads Club Memorial
Burnley Express 23rd September1916 - 28th February 1917 - 3rd March 1917

Dan Marsh was born in Barnsley the son of Allan and Annie Marsh of 103 Gordon Street, Burnley. He enlisted in Burnley in August 1914 and served as Private 5779 in the 1st Battalion of the East Lancashire Regiment. He was killed in action aged 21 on Saturday 1st July 1916. He is buried at Redan Ridge Cemetery No 2, Beaumont-Hamel, Somme in grave A 67.

The Burnley Express of 23rd September 1916 reported that:-

“Mr and Mrs Marsh of 103 Gordon street, Burnley not having heard from their son Pte. 5779 Dan Marsh since the memorable inception of the big push on the Somme have been in communication with the Regiment. There has been no official news of any kind but an officer has replied that Pte. Marsh was missing on July 1st and letters from the soldier’s comrades announce that he was killed on that day. Pte. Marsh enlisted in August 1914 and went out to France the following December. Pte. Marsh who was 21 years of age had been safely through many stiff engagements. In civil life he was a weaver at Messrs. Procter’s Mill in Stoneyholme, attended St Peter’s School, and was a member of the Burnley Lad’s Club. A brother and several cousins are serving in France.

His death was confirmed in the Burnley Express of March 3rd 1917:-
"Lad's Club Member Killed. Comrade's Report Proved True.
By the arrival at 103,|Gordon Street, Burnley of a War Office communication presuming the death of Pte. (5779) Dan Marsh, of the 1st East Lancashire Regiment; the news previously sent by comrades was verified. In our issue of 23rd September it was stated that the soldier had been reported as missing since the memorable inception of the big push on the Somme. Letters from the man's comrades announced that he was killed on July 1st. Private Marsh, who was 21 years of age, had enlisted in August 1914, and had gone out to France the following December and had gone through many stiff engagements. In civil life he had been a weaver at Messrs Proctor’s Mill in Stoneyholme. He had attended St Peter’s School and was a member of Burnley Lads Club. A brother and several cousins were serving in France.
(Double casualty with Richard Marsh who also died)

Notes
1901 Census – 103 Gordon Street – Allan Marsh (45) quarry labourer stone born Higham Yorkshire. Annie (45) born Goole, Rebecca (21) cotton winder born Barnsley, Charlotte (18) paper sorter born Barnsley, Samuel (16) paper catcher born Barnsley, George (15) weaver born Barnsley, Olive (8) born Barnsley, Dan (5) born Barnsley, Ada (3), Richard (1).
1st July 1916 - 165 men and 7 officers from the 1st Battalion were killed on the first day of the battle of the Somme