Name
Edwin Wheeler
1887
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
02/12/1918
31
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
242178
Yorkshire Regiment
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Searched but not found
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
HEMEL HEMPSTEAD (HEATH LANE) CEMETERY
WB. 43.
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Hemel Hempstead memorials, Not on the St Albans memorials(*1)
Pre War
Edwin Wheeler was born in 1887 in St Albans, Herts the son of James and Rosannah Wheeler and one of six children, although his older brother Frederick died aged 7. He was baptised on 22 May 1897 at Redbourn, Herts.
On the 1891 Census the family were living at Church End, Redbourn, Herts where his father was listed as "Unwell". They remained at Church End on the 1901 Census and although there is no occupation given for his father, two of his sisters were silk winders and 13 year old Edwin was working as a Horse Keeper boy on a farm.
His mother died in 1904 aged 57 and his father was listed on the 1911 Census as an invalid, living with his 11 year old grandson Percy Hobbs at Church End, Redbourn.
Edwin married Lilian Louise Nicholls at Redbourn on 28 April 1909 and they had two children, Ernest Edwin, born 8 September 1909 and Minnie Louise born on 18 February 1912. On the 1911 Census the family were living at The Camp, Redbourn, Herts, where Edwin was working as a Groom/Gardener.
His widow later lived at 14 Chapel Street, Hemel Hempstead and remarried in 1922 to Charles Hawes.
Wartime Service
Edwin enlisted 25 May 1916 in Watford and was mobilised 29 July 1916 and posted to the 2/5th Yorkshire Regiment. He served at home from 31 July 1916 to 13 April 1917 when he was discharged because of sickness.
He died in Hemel Hempstead on 2 December 1918, aged 31 and was buried on 7 December 1918, at Heath Lane Cemetery, Hemel Hempstead.
Additional Information
His widow received a war gratuity of £3 10s. There appears to have been no pay owing. N.B. CWGC has used the reg. no. 242178 but some other military records use the reg. no. 4881. (Soldiers Effects & Pension Record)
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild
