Name
Arthur Edwards
16 Feb 1897
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
22/11/1917
20
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
21368
Suffolk Regiment
12th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LEBUCQUIERE COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION
I. F. 6.
France
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Harpenden Town Memorial, Not on the Wheathampstead memorials
Pre War
Sydney was born on 16 Feb 1897, in Harpenden, the son of James Edwards, a farm labourer, and Fanny (nee (Wood).
On the 1901 Census the family of parents, Sydney and Arthur were living at 479, Forest Road, Walthamstow, London. Arthur’s father was working as a navvy. On the 1911 Census Arthur was living at White Gate Lodge, Hatfield, with his parents and older brother Sydney.
Wartime Service
Arthur was enlisted in 12th (Service) Battalion (East Anglian), Suffolk regiment as Private 21368, No Service Record could be found for Arthur. His battalion was originally raised in Jul 1915 as a Bantam Battalion (Men under the normal minimum height for the Army).
Arthur would probably gone to France with his Battalion on 6 Jun 1915, taking Part in the Battle of the Ancre, 1916. On returning from leave in 1917 he had some difficulty finding his unit. The Battalion took part in the Battle of Cambrai (10 Nov – 30 Dec 1917). He had been promoted, at some time, to Lance Corporal and had responsibility for the water supply to his company; it was while testing water that he was hit by a shell on 21st November; he died the next day 22 November 1917 from his wounds near Cambrai.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £9 10s and arrears of £12 7s 1d was paid to his mother.
His brother Sydney served with 10th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment s as Private 20131 and was killed in action in the Balkans on 7 Dec 1915. He is remembered on the Doiran Memorial, Greece
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild, Mary Skinner, Harpenden & District Local History Society (www.harpenden-history.org.uk)
