Name
William (Bill) Edwards
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
28/03/1918
24
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Captain
Army Service Corps
Att 7th Bn. Kings Shropshire Light Infantry
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
DOULLENS COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION NO.1
III. A. 16.
France
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
All Saints Church Memorial(s), Hockerill, Not on the Bishops Stortford memorials *1
Pre War
William Edwards was born in 1893 in Little Hallingbury, Essex to Sylvester Edwards, grain merchant, and Rosa (nee Papworth).
On the 1901 Census the family of parents Annie (born 1887), Hilda Elizabeth (born 1885), Charles Henry (born 1890), William, and Sarah M (born 1897) were living at Beech House, Dell lane, Bishops Stortford. William’s mother Rosa died in 1906. His father remarried to Eva Dunning in early 1911.
On the 1911 Census the family of parents (Sylvester and Eva), Hilda Elizabeth, Charles H (miller and con merchant assistant), William (pupil to corn trade) were still living at Beech House with 2 domestic staff.
Wartime Service
No Service record was found for William.
He volunteered as a Territorial with 1/28th (County of London) Battalion (Artist’s Rifles) but was probably commissioned in the Army Service Corps and at some time was attached to 7th Battalion King’s Shropshire Light Infantry as. This Battalion was part of 3rd Division and were present at the First Battles of the Somme (21 Mar – 5 Apr 1918) attempting to resist the German Spring Offensive. The Division was involved in the Battle of St Quentin, (21 – 23 Mar 1918), First Battle of Bapaume, 24 – 25 Mar 1918). It was during this period that William was wounded, dying on 28 Mar 1918
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £9 and arrears of £162 9s 1d was paid to his father.
*1 William is also commemorated on the family grave in the Bishop's Stortford Old Cemetery, his part of the inscription reads:
". . . AND OF WILLIAM EDWARDS, CAPT. (BILL)
(A.S.C. ATT. 7TH K.S.L.I. LATE ARTISTS RIFLES)
THEIR SECOND SON WHO DIED OF WOUNDS MARCH 28TH 1918.
AGED 24 YEARS. 1914 - 1918
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
