Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Alfred Beazley Marsh came from a family of keen cyclists and was a member of the Leicestershire Road Club and Tricycle Association before WW2. He is recorded as having lived at 23 Severn Street Leicester.
His father and grandfather had been members of the North Road Cycling Club: Alfred joined the NRRC in January 1934 and remained a member until his death. His elder brother Edward, was also a member of the NRRC. Edward also saw active service during the war, but survived, dying in 1955 at the young age of 43.

In Alfred Marsh’s Obituary published in the ‘The North Road Gazette’ July, 1945, the Editor, R.J. Jennings, wrote, “The 1938 season was one of his best, for in that year he reached the peak of fitness around August, and in the space of a few weeks did fastest time for us in the Inter-Unity ‘50’ with 2h. 19m. 04s.; was fstest in the Inter-Club ‘100’ in 4h. 57m. 36s. and was third in the handicap section of the Wisbech Wheelers ‘50’ on a tricycle in 2h. 25m. 41s.. This ride gained him the Club tricycle record. In September he put up a good show in the ‘24’, when he was placed tenth with 396½ miles.
In 1939 he carried on the good work by being fastest in all three Club ‘50’s, and breaking Club record in the Saturday ‘50’ with 2h. 12m. 13s.. in the Velma ‘50’ he clocked 2h. 14m. 31s.. he went round the the ‘Tricycle Trophy’ ‘100’ in 5h. 23m. 11s., and was second in the Yorkshire Vegetarian ‘24’ with 407⅛ miles.
His last success with the North Road Club was in the first ‘50’ of 1940, which he won in 2h. 18m. 17s.”

The photograph of AB Marsh was taken by Aubrey Todd of London N12 and appeared in 'Cycling' magazine around the 16th June 1939. The Tricycle Association '50' was held on Sunday 11th June 1939 and Alfred won the event, recording 2h 24m 02s, just over 1m short of the National Competition Record of 2h 22m 49s, held by Ossie Jackson of the Lancashire RC. The course was between the 46th and the 70th Milestones on the Great North Road, out and home, and was timed by Jack Rossiter. (Jack was severely wounded at Passchendaele, but recovered to become a professional racing cyclist for Raleigh).


During the Second World War, AB Marsh joined the Royal Air Force. In 1943 Flying Officer A B Marsh was a member of 156 Squadron (Pathfinders), based at Warboys, Cambridgeshire, serving as a navigator. The squadron had by that time converted from Wellington bombers to Lancasters.

With Squadron Leader the Hon. Brian Grimston, DFC, he flew eight missions that year, two over St Nazaire, and six over Germany. On the last mission, over Kiel, his Lancaster failed to return. The crew were reported missing, though other planes in the squadron recorded one of their planes exploding in the air. It seems that it was not until the end of the war that it was established that all members of the crew died. Marsh’s memorial is to be found in Kiel war Cemetery.
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Written by R. Alma and submitted by B. Nolan and M. Purser, 2018