Albert Marshall, 108; Served in British Cavalry During World War I

Albert Marshall, 108, believed to have been the last surviving British cavalryman to serve in World War I, died Monday at his home near London, according to his son, John.

Born in Essex, Marshall was 17 when he lied about his age to join the army during the war. He served with the Essex Yeomanry in Flanders, Belgium, where he was shot in a hand, and spent much of 1917 recovering in England. He returned to active duty a year later with the machine gun corps.

In later years, he spoke of seeing a charge by troops from the Oxford and Bucks regiment, newly arrived in Europe from England. “They were very smart -- new uniforms -- and eager to get into the attack,” Marshall said in an interview two years ago. At dawn, 800 soldiers charged over the top of the trenches into withering German fire.

“By about 8:30 we saw no more than seven or eight of them struggling back toward us. We couldn’t believe our eyes. All those young men we had shared our breakfast with were dead.”

After his discharge, Marshall worked on a country estate in Essex.