Name
Edmund Sole
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
10/11/1915
26
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
14418
Bedfordshire Regiment
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ABBEVILLE COMMUNAL CEMETERY
III. D. 2.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Kelshall Village Memorial,
St Faith’s Church Roll of Honour
Pre War
Born on 3 Jun 1889 in North End, Kelshall, Herts. the fourth child and third son of Walter and Catherine Elizabeth (Andrews) Sole and christened on 13 Jun 1889 in Kelshall.
According to the 1891 census the family lived at North End Kelshall and the household consisted of Walter (39) an agricultural labourer, Catherine (34) and their children George (10) a scholar, Charles (7) also a scholar, Emily (4) and Edmund (1). By the 1901 census George had left home and the family were still living at North End. He was living there in Kelshall in 1911 as a farm labourer and was single.
Perhaps Edmund followed his father onto the land and so when WW1 started, he, like other local lads saw an overseas adventure looming and after all, it was anticipated at the outbreak in the summer of 1914 that it would all be over by Christmas.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Hertford in Sep 1914 and entered France on 1 May 1915.
He enlisted in Hertford but sadly his service details have not been found in the Public Records Office files thus suggesting that his were one of the 60% of WW1 records lost due to enemy bombing in WW2.
He was injured by a bomb on 6th Nov 1915 and died of his wounds in hospital in Abbeville some days later.
In view of the fact that he was killed in November it suggests that he joined the colours early and his family should have received the 3 war medals plus the Dead Man’s penny, the bronze plaque that was issued to the families of all who died.
Edmund enlisted into the 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment as Private, 14418.
The 2nd. Btn. Left England for Belgium on October 10th. 1914 and moved south in stages to the Ypres area, finally digging in on 15th. near Zillebeeke. On the 18th they had their first enemy encounter and lost both officers and men. This continued until they were relieved on 27th. They remained in the Gheluveldt area, east of Ypres with few gains but many losses until the move back to Bailleul in mid November.
The Battalion war diary states.
"4 Dec 1914 The G.O.C. 7 Div, inspected the Battalion on parade with the special purpose of saying a few words to those who had fought at YPRES. He expressed himself satisfied & pleased with the turnout & appearance of the Battalion & glad to see the strength of the Battalion. He reminded us that at Ypres we had been put to a severe test, that of holding the line against 3 times our own numbers & congratulated the Battn. on the way it had behaved especially in view of the fact that so many of the officers had been killed & wounded including the C.O. & 2nd in command. He further reminded us that the enemy must be pushed back before we could consider ourselves the victors & that we must all bear this in mind & he was sure that when the time came we should do credit to the name of the Regiment & the Army."
At this time they were in action again at Fleurbaix.
25 Dec 1914 Christmas day. "The Truce".
The following is the substance of a report forwarded by C.O. to Brigade H.Q.
"On evening of 24th Dec.1914 at about 8 p.m. the Germans were singing in their trenches. There were numerous lights on their parapets apparently on Christmas trees. A voice shouted from their trenches & could be distinctly heard "I want to arrange to bury the dead. Will someone come out & meet me". 2/Lt.de Buriatte went out with 3 men & met 5 Germans the leader of whom spoke excellent English but was not an officer. He said he had lived in Brighton & Canada. This German said they wished to bury about 24 of their dead but would not do so at night as they were afraid of their artillery might open fire and they could not stop them and this would not be fair to us. No arrangement was made at the time. During the conversation the German said he belonged to the 15th Regt. & gave Lt.de Buriatte a postcard with the following information. The addressee was in the 12th Company 3rd Battalion 15 Infantry Regiment 26 Infantry Bde. 7th Army Corps. The men also had 15 on their shoulder straps. The red band round their Caps was covered with grey cloth. This morning 25th inst. at 10 A.M. a German officer and 2 men unarmed came out of their trenches with a white flag and were met by Captain H.C.Jackson and asked to be permitted to bury their dead so we said we would not fire till 11.30 A.M. to give them time & this was done. My men had already buried some on night of 24/25. It was noticed that the German trenches were strongly held their being a large number of men sitting on the parapet during the time the bodies were being buried. The men were a young lot from 19-25 years well turned out & clean. I had given strict orders that none of my men were to go towards the enemy's lines without definite orders & that no one except those on duty were to be looking over the parapet. No Germans were allowed to come near our trenches. The German wire was closely inspected & is as previously reported. During the period that no firing was taking place one of my Company Sergeant Majors was speaking to a German when an elderly officer passed. The German said he was the "Divisioner". This German also said they were very comfortable in a nice village behind but did not give the name! He seemed surprised that our troops were not an elderly Reserve class. The general impression was that the Germans had had enough and were anxious for the War to come to an end.
In the first 3 months of 1915 they were billeted near Laventie but were constantly being moved up and experienced much enemy fire resulting in many casualties.
12 Apr 1915 The Brigade was inspected by Field Marshal Sir John French, G.C.B., O.M., G.C.V.O., K.C.M.G. Commander in Chief, British Expeditionary Force at 3.30 p.m. outside ESTAIRES. The following were also present G.O.C. 1st Army G.O.C. 4 Corps Brigadier General Lawford, Commanding 7 Division during temporary absence of G.O.C. 7 Div: Brigadier General H.Watts C.B., C.M.G. Cmdg 21 Inf Bde. The C in C addressed each Battalion of the Brigade in turn. "Men of Bedfordshire - I have come here today to tell you how much indebted I am to you for your recent work. I know what you have done. I know the losses you have suffered. I need not go into the detail of the part you played in the three days battle at NEUVE CHAPELLE. But I know no Battalion pushed forward with more gallantry than you did. As you are the first Battalion of this Division, I want you to repeat & let it be known throughout the Division how well you all have done, as I don't want to repeat myself. I congratulate your Divisional General, General Capper, whom I am sorry is not able to be here today, and you on the able leading of your gallant Brigadier, General Watts, the work you have done has been of the first importance. In the first place you have won ground which will be invaluable in our future operations. You will realize - being intelligent men - that we are fighting the Germans on two fronts. In these attacks it is not so much the ground we gain but the fact that we tie the enemy to the ground in front of us and prevent him sending troops against the Russians on the East and also enable the French to make successful attacks further South. In fact we all help each other. Besides being a gain in ground, it was a great moral gain. For you have shown the enemy that you can beat him whenever you chose and I know when the time comes you will do it again. I want every officer, Non commissioned officer and man of this Regiment to feel that I give them my personal thanks for the splendid work that they have done". Shaking hands with the C.O.; Major J.Mackenzie V.C., Sir John French added "I congratulate you". Number on parade 24 officers 779 other ranks.
13 Apr 1915 Company parades. The following complimentary order was published "The Brigadier congratulates the officers, N.C.Os. & men on their fine, soldier like & steady appearance of the Brigade on parade yesterday" (21 Inf.Bde. R.O.148.)
The following diary entry shows the horror of war and the detail that was written up daily under such dreadful conditions.
17 May 1915 2.30 a.m. Orders received to withdraw Bn. to reserve trenches. Movement completed by 3.45 a.m. About 1.30 p.m. Bn. received orders to be ready to move at shortest notice. Ref.Map 1/10000. ILLIES-VIOLAINE-FESTUBERT.
About 3 p.m. orders received to move Bn. into position in rear of old German Fire trench between L1-L2 in order to make an attack in conjunction with 4 Cameron Highs: on left, on points L10, L11, L8 to K5. Battn. frontage from L8-K5. 'B' Coy. on right, under Capt. H.E.HUNTRISS, 2 Bedf.R. 'C' Coy. on right, under Bt.Lt.Col.E.I.de S.THORPE, 2 Bedf.R. were detailed as the two leading coys: & formed up between L1 & L2. 'A' Coy. under Capt.W.HUTTON-WILLIAMS 3rd E.Sur.R. attached 2 Bedf.R. & 'D' Cou. under Maj.J.MACKENZIE, V.C. 2 Bedf.R. formed up in rear of old British trench, in support, moving up into new line as places were vacated by 'B' & 'C' Coys. About 7.30 p.m. 'B' and 'C' Coys. advanced to the Attack, on right of 4th Camerons, with 2 sections of Bombthrowers under 2nd Lt.W.J. STONIER, 2nd Bedf.R. working on the right down the communication trench towards K.4. & K.5. 'B' & 'C' Coys. on vacating the trenches to the assault were met by heavy shrapnel, machine gun & rifle fire & Coy.Q.M.S. (Actg.Coy.S.M.) was killed as he climbed over the parapet. (On 22nd May, official information was received, that this N.C.O. had been granted a commission as 2nd Lt. in the 2nd Cheshire Regt).
By about 9 p.m. when the whole Battn. less 2 platoons of 'A' Coy. which were kept in reserve by the C.O. (Major C.C.ONSLOW) had been launched to the attack, information was received by the C.O. that Lt.Col.THORPE had called a halt, as he was unable to collect a party sufficiently strong to assault the German position, owing to the darkness, and many serious obstacles, in the nature of ditches varying from 2 to 5 ft. in depth, and from 2 to 5 ft. in width filled with water, running diagonally as well as parallel to our advance, which had broken all cohesion in the attacking force; and also that he could not gain touch with the Cameron Highrs: Just at this time too, 2nd Lt.W.J.STONIER reported having arrived at K.4, & meeting with opposition in that neighbourhood, his party had expended all their bombs and had themselves, with a small party under 2nd Lt.C.M.BREWER, been bombed and trench mortared from the direction of K.5. & had had to retire into the communication trench, which they continued to hold. A portion of the Battn. misunderstanding Lt.Col.THORPE'S order, had in the meantime retired on to our original position. Under these circumstances the C.O. reformed the whole of the Battn. in the original position, from which the attack was launched (L1 and L2), with the exception of the party in the Communication trench; and informed the Brigadier General H.WATTS how matters stood. During these operations Maj.J.MACKENZIE V.C. was killed & the following officers were wounded: - Capt.H.E.HUNTRISS, Lt.A.E.KUHN, 2nd Lts. A.GROVER, R.S.LARDNER, F.V.PARKER & R.H.BOYS. During the night information was received that a portion of the 4th Camerons had succeeded in entering the enemy trench. Several men were drowned in the ditches, referred to above
18 May 1915 About 3 a.m. telephonic instructions were received from the Brigadier, that the Battn. should advance along the communication trench towards K.4 & K.5, and take the German trench from that flank, to join up with the Cameron Highlanders, who were said to be still in possession of a portion of the trench. A supply of Bombs having been received, the bomb throwers with 'D' Coy. under 2nd Lt.C.H.BREWER*; with 'A' and 'C' coys. in that order, in support, under Capt.HUTTON WILLIAMS, & Bt.Lt.Col.E.I.de S.THORPE respectively, were ordered to make their way along the communication trench to K.5, to gain possession of that point & work along German trench towards L/8. to meet the Cameron Highlanders. 'B' Coy. under 2nd Lt.F.POWELL was kept in reserve. While this attack was developing, the C.O. received authentic information, that the party of Cameron Highs: who has gained the enemy trench, had been bombed out and retired thence during the night. This information, and also the fact that, the Bn. was very weak numerically, was telephoned by the C.O. to the Brigadier, who replied that if the C.O. who [sic] absolutely convinced that the Cameron Highs: were no longer holding any of the German trench, he should stop the further advance of the Battn. and make good the ground occupied. The Bn. therefore consolidating K.4 & the communication trench, holding it with the bombthrowers & 'D' 'A' & 'B' coys. 'C' coy. & B remaining behind L1-L2. During the advance towards K4, Capt.W.HUTTON-WILLIAMS was killed and about 6 men killed or wounded crossing the gap in the trench which was swept by Machine Gun & rifle fire. The Battn. remained in this position all day, being heavily shelled by H.E. & shrapnel the whole time. This party was under Capt.C.C.FOSS, D.S.O. who had partially reconnoitred the route.
Night of 17-18 May 1915 During the night 17th-18th May, 2nd Lt.B.H.WADDY 3rd Gloucester Regt. attached, who had been doing excellent scouting and reconnaissance work, had to be removed from the firing line by order of the M.O. & was admitted to Hospital. During this night too, the Battn. had the misfortune to lose the services of Lieut.D.G.WATSON, R.A.M.C. the M.O. who had been most assiduous in tending & removing wounded from the firing line in a conspicuously gallant manner, under heavy shell fire, being severely wounded by shrapnel on his way back to his dressing station. 7 stretcher bearers were also either killed or wounded.
19 May 1915 - Bellerive The Battn. was relieved by one company of the 2nd Yorkshire Regt. about 3 a.m. and returned to billets in RUE de'EPINETTE. Strength of Battn. 8 officers 417 other ranks. Lt.Baird, R.A.M.C. joined Bn. during night of 18th-19th May for duty vice WATSON. 1 p.m. orders received that Battn. would march at 3 p.m. battn. marched at 3 p.m. to billets at BELLERIVE 4m. N.W. of BETHUNE. Total casualties during operations from 8 p.m. 11.5.15 to 3 p.m. 19.5.15 were: - Officers 2 killed, 9 wounded (1 Lt.A.E.KUHN died of wounds on 20.5.15). 1 Sick. Other ranks 45 killed, 68 missing, 276 wounded, (of whom 4 died).
Officers remaining with Bn. combatant.
Major C.C.ONSLOW, Comdr.
Capt.C.C.FOSS, D.S.O., Adjt.
Bt.Lt.Col.E.I.de S.Thorpe (To Border Regt)
2nd Lt.L.F.BEAL
2nd Lt.F.POWELL (I.A.)
2nd Lt.N.DABELL
2nd Lt.C.H.BREWER
2nd Lt.W.H.GEORGE.
On May 21st the battalion was addressed to no doubt lift their spirits after the disappointing attack.
21 May 1915 In billets as above. Coy. inspections. Brigadier Genl.H.WATTS, C.M.G., C.B., addressed the Bn. on parade as follows: - "Major Onslow and soldiers of the 2nd Bedfordshire Regt. I have come to speak to you, hearing how disappointed you are at the non success of the attack upon which you were launched on the 17th. Let me tell you, that its non-success was no fault of yours, but was one of the fortunes of war, which cannot always be successful. The attack was carried out in a most gallant and determined manner, & its non-success was caused by the usual chance of war, which did not allow of a proper artillery preparation, or a thorough reconnaissance. You casualties, which were 2 officers killed, 6 officers wounded, 45 other ranks killed, 68 missing & 200 odd killed, shows you determination, and I feel sure, when you are again called upon to attack, you will show the same spirit, and your efforts will be crowned with success."
June, July and August saw the 2nd. Btn in and out of action again with heavy losses but some more honours conferred.
26 Aug 1915 - Gorre and le Touret Trenches as before. relieved by 8th Devonshire Regt. & 1 Coy of 9th Devons. Relief completed at 11 p.m.
Bn to billets. "A" & "D" Coys to GORRE. "B" & "C" Coys to LE TOURET. Capt. J.C. MONTEITH arrived and posted to "C" Coy - also 2nd in Command. Notification received that H.M. the King had awarded the VICTORIA CROSS to Capt. C.C. FOSS, D.S.O., 2nd Bn. Bedfordshire Regt. for gallantry at NEUVE CHAPELLE. "For most conspicuous gallantry at NEUVE CHAPELLE on 12th March 1915. After the enemy had captured a part of one of our trenches, and our counter attack made with 1 officer and 20 men having failed, (all but two of the party being killed or wounded in the attempt), Capt. FOSS on his own initiative, dashed forward with 8 men, under heavy fire, attacked the enemy with bombs, & captured the position, including 52 Germans occupying it. The capture of this position from the enemy was of the greatest importance, & the outmost bravery was displayed in assaying the task with so very few men". Also the following decorations were notified on this day, as being awarded by H.I.E. The Tsar of Russia: -
Cross of the Order of St.George 4th Class -
9822 Act. L/Sgt. W.G. PEGGS
Medal of St.George 2nd Class - 7785 C.Q.M.S. S.MART.
3rd Class - 9078 Pte. W.EADE.
During the period 16th - 26th Aug. search parties discovered the bodies of several men who had fallen on the 17th May. Of these, 14 had been previously reported as "missing", & formed a cemetery close to where they fell. (ref. BETHUNE combined map 1.. 40,000 in S 26.d) Casualties for 16th - 26th Aug. 1 officer wnd. 1 officer sick
2 O.R. kld. 2 O.R. wnd. 21 O.R. sick.
September and October followed along similar lines with action near Givenchy and Vermelles. Then in early November a special message arrived from the King to again raise morale.
3 Nov 1915 The following Special Order of the day received from His Majesty the King. “I am happy to have found myself once more with my Armies. It is especially gratifying to me to have been able to see some of those that have been newly created. For I have watched with interest the growth of these Troops from the first days of Recruit Drill and through the different stages of training until their final inspection on the eve of departure for the Front as organised Divisions. Already they have justified the general conviction then formed of their splendid fighting worth. Since I was last among you, you have fought many strenuous battles. In all you have reaped renown and proved yourself at least equal to the highest traditions of the British Army. In company with our noble Allies you have baffled the infamous conspiracy against law and liberty in Europe, so long and insidiously prepared. These achievements have involved vast sacrifices. But your countrymen who watch your campaign with sympathetic admiration will, I am well assured, spare no effort to fill your ranks and afford you all supplies. I have decorated many of you. But had I decorated all who deserve recognition for conspicuous valour, there would have been no limit, for the whole Army is illustrious. It is a matter of sincere regret to me that my accident should have prevented my seeing all the Troops I had intended, but during my stay amongst you I have seen enough to fill my heart with admiration of your patient cheerful endurance of life in the trenches, a life either of weary monotony or of terrible tumult. It is the dogged endurance evinced by all ranks which will at last bring you to victory. Keep the goal in sight and remember it is the final lap that wins.”GEORGE R.I. Nov. 1st 1915.
Edmund was to be seeing his last month of life at this point for he sadly died of wounds on 10th November 1915. He is buried at Abbeville communal cemetery in the military extension (111. D. 2) way behind the lines so it can be assumed that he died in the large military hospital there. We cannot know exactly where he received his injuries but the diary shows the battalion’s actions in November.
Acknowledgments
Malcolm Lennox, Jean Handley
