Name
George Henry Edwards
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
31/07/1917
28
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
266902
Hertfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
4 Coy,
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Panel 54 and 56.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
4 Co' Hertfordshire Reg' Territorials’ Memorial, Hitchin, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, Hitchin, Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford, Walkern Village Memorial
Pre War
He was born in Willesden in Middlesex and his home was in Walkern. He was the son of George and Emma Edwards of Froghall Lane, Walkern. He enlisted in Hertford.
Wartime Service
George’s Regimental number was 266902. He served in 4 Company of the Regiment and he was killed in action.
On the day of his death, the 1st Herts were cut to pieces by shot and shell at St. Julien in the Ypres Salient. They had marched from Vlamertinge to their assembly position arriving by midnight on the 30th/3 1st July 1917. A general bombardment of the German lines commenced at 3.45am on the 3 1st July and the Hertfordshires left their assembly position at 5.00am and captured St. Julien during the morning. Unfortunately, the promised supporting artillery barrage did not materialise as the guns could not be brought up due to the all-prevailing mud. By noon the Herts had crossed the Steenbeck stream and had come across unbroken wire that prevented any further advance. The German artillery and machine-guns decimated them and by the end of the day the Herts had virtually ceased to exist. Over half the fighting strength of the Battalion, including most of the officers, were killed or wounded in a single day.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
