Oliver N. Saltmarsh

Oliver Norman Saltmarsh was born in the Maldon registration district in 1897.
He was the son of Henry and Edith Saltmarsh, of Hartford End, Felsted.

In 1901 the census shows the family at Hartford End:
Henry Saltmarsh - 28 - Brewer's Clerk
Edith Saltmarsh - 28
Oliver - 4
Stanley - 2

The 1911 census shows the family still at Hartford End but having grown slightly:
Henry Saltmarsh - age 38 - Brewer's and Company Clerk - born Maldon, Essex.
Edith Saltmarsh - age 38 - born Heybridge, Essex.
Oliver Norman Saltmarsh -  age 14 - Grocer's Apprentice - born Maldon, Essex.
Stanley Russell Saltmarsh - age 12 - at school - born Maldon, Essex.
Edgar Rowland Saltmarsh - age 7 - born Felstead.

Oliver had moved away from Hartford End by the time he enlisted and was living at Sydenham, Kent.

Oliver served as Private soldier 4055 with the 15th Battalion the London Regiment. (Prince of Wales' Own Civil Service Rifles).

He died aged 19 on 15th September 1916. 

Oliver is also commemorated on the War Memorial at Ford End, and in the London Borough of Lewisham on the Sydenham and Forest Hill and District Tradesmen's memorial and also on the memorial in the Sydenham Wesleyan Hall, where the inscription is simply N. Saltmarsh.

He is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial

Oliver's death was reported very simply in the Essex Weekly News Roll of Honour on 3rd November 1916:

OTHER UNITS
Various Dates (Oct 26 - Nov1)
London Regt. Saltmarsh O. N. Chelmsford

The death of Oliver caused his parents very great grief and also anxiety over their second son Stanley:

The Essex Weekly News of 31st May 1918 includes the following item in its Roll of Honour:

Rifleman S. R. Saltmarsh, K.R.R.C. (King's Royal Rifle Corps) second son of Mr. and Mrs. Saltmarsh, of Hartford End, Chelmsford, has been missing since April 13, and his parents would welcome news. Corpl. O.N. Saltmarsh, London Regt., his elder brother, was killed in action Sept. 15, 1916.

The Essex Weekly news later carried the following item on 14th June 1918:

Formerly reported missing, the following are now known to be be prisoners of war - Rifleman S. R. Saltmarsh K.R.R.C. son of Mr. H. Saltmarsh, Hartford End.

When his Father died in 1940 and was buried at Holy Cross Church, Felsted, an inscription was added to the headstone to commemorate Oliver.