'Smiler' - Ashtead's equestrian Centenarian

Ashtead's First World War Veteran, Albert Marshall, is 100 years old this month. Known to friends as Smiler, he is still working in Murrey's Court greenhouse where he took up a job as 'general handyman' over half a century ago. He is a member of the local British Legion, keeps well informed on current national issues and can sing a good song.

Albert Elliot Marshall was born March 15th 1897 in Elmstead Market, a small Essex Village. As his mother was ill he started school at two-and-a-half. She died when he was 5 and the family was cared for by 3 girl cousins. At 13 he started an apprenticeship in the Wivenhoe Shipyards, hated it and left to begin his long and varied career, mainly with horses.

Smiler learnt to ride before he was 5 years old. He accepted a challenge of 2d to ride a goat, "facing backwards with my arms under the flank." Winning the challenge, he got to ride a horse, sitting astride the saddle in front of the owner. Later he ran various stables, schooled and showed horses, worked for the Hunt Service and was a member of the Mid-Surrey Drag Hounds. Once he was offered a job by an Officer at The Royal Mews.

As the 1st World War began Smiler managed to join-up even though at 17 he was officially too young. It was while training that he gained his nick-name. A well-aimed snowball hit its human target and amid laughter the sergeant rebuking him yelled… "Hey, Smiler… I am talking to you." It stuck.

In 1915 he joined the 20th Hussars at Colchester and found himself in France on the Front Line. "The cavalry's job in winter was to hold the line. There were three lines of trenches, mud and devastation." He never forgot the comradeship of the troops, but lost most of his pals. Wounded, he was shipped home only to volunteer to return as soon as he recovered. He went back as a machine gunner supporting the cavalry. Smiler spent his 21st birthday in a derelict farm melting snow for tea and being shelled.

Smiler is not afraid of death. He smiles: "My faith is strong enough for whatever happens."

The war over, he returned to his childhood sweetheart, Florence. They were married in 1921. Smiler's move to Surrey came when his boss brought a farm at Farley Green. Injured while cutting a horse's mane, he was recovering from eye surgery when the Second World War began in 1939. This time he joined the local Home Guard, "guarding you all in Ashtead," he says.

…and so to Ashtead he came with his family in 1940 to the job from which he's never retired and to the cottage where he now resides. He has two surviving children John & Geoffrey, 12 grandchildren, 22 great grandchildren and 4 great great grandchildren.

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