THE FOOTSTEPS of a Stalybridge mother who was desperate to get her sons recognised on its war memorial will be recreated in a fundraising walk.
Alex Kershaw, of the Royal British Legion, will trace the route of Ann Marshall as she appealed to get Fred, Harry and George honoured.
In 1921, she walked from her home at Carr Cottages in Carrbrook to Stalybridge’s centre after they died in action during World War I aged 20 and 25.
However, the registrar refused to enter their names in the register as in his opinion their house was just on the other side of the border in Mossley, Lancashire.
She walked along Wakefield Road and made her way to the old town hall in Top Mossley only to be turned away again – they are recognised there but that does not contain names.
After being told by the registrar there his colleague in Stalybridge was wrong, she walked back and put forward the case, but the registrar would not move from his original decision.
Ann Marshall decided that she was being pushed from pillar to post by bureaucracy and decided her three boys would be remembered in her mind and heart.
Now Alex will retrace those steps on Sunday, October 9 by doing the ‘Marshalls Walk’ as he attempts to raise £500 towards the cost of adding to the appeal to extend Stalybridge War Memorial and add names of about 300 people missed off.
He will pass Mrs Marshall’s grave and will lay flowers to pay respects to not only her but her three sons.
*IF YOU wish to donate to Alex’s effort, you can do so online by visiting www.gofundme.com/f/alexs-remberance-the-marshall-walk.