Name
Edwin James Dyer
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
23/11/1917
52
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Sapper
133142
Royal Engineers
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
WATFORD CEMETERY
United Kingdom
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour,
St Matthew’s Church Memorial, Oxhey
Pre War
Son of the late Edward Wilson and Jane (nee PARSONS) DYER; husband of Emily/Emma Helen (nee PERRY) DYER.
His parents married 11 May 1851 at St Mary’s, Lambeth, London. Jane died 1871 in the St Giles, London, district aged 48, and was buried 26 October in St Pancras Cemetery, London. Edward remarried 7 May 1872 at Christ Church, Forest Hill, London, to Rachel GOODE. He died 26 August 1876 at Leicester Square, London, aged 53; Rachel died 1912 in the Southwark, London, district aged 80, and was buried 16 January in Nunhead Cemetery, London.
Edwin was born 1865 in either Newington, Kennington or Lambeth, London, and baptised 12 November 1869 at St Mary’s, Lambeth. He married 29 October 1900 at Strand Registry Office, London; they had one adopted child. He died 23 November 1917 in Watford aged 52, and was buried 1 December in Vicarage Road Cemetery, Watford. Emily never remarried, she died 1941 in Watford aged 77, and was buried 1 February, also in Vicarage Road Cemetery.
On the 1871 Census, aged 6 he lived in Lambeth, with an aunt and uncle. On the 1881 Census, aged 15 he was an inmate of the Middlesex County Industrial School, Feltham, Middx; detained under the Industrial Schools Act. On the 1891 Census, a shoemaker aged 25, he was a visitor in Lambeth. On the 1901 Census, a general labourer aged 35, he lived in Croydon, Surrey, with his wife and no children. On the 1911 Census, a labourer aged 32 he lived in Oxhey, with his wife and no children.
Wartime Service
There is no trace of an E J DYER Corps of Royal Engineers in either the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s dataset, or in Soldiers Died in the Great War.
However, Edwin James DYER attested 22 October 1915 in Chatham, Kent, for Short Service (Duration of the War): a handyman aged 47, married, of Oxhey, Herts. He served as Pioneer 133142 in the 3rd Provision Company, Royal Engineers, at Home 18 October to 10 November 1915; with the B.E.F. 11 November 1915 to 23 October 1916; and Home again 24 October 1916 to 5 January 1917. He was discharged at Chatham, still described as a handyman, aged 48, 5’9″ tall, C of E, of Oxhey, no longer physically fit for War Service. He was appointed unpaid Lance-Corporal 29 October 1915, and was entitled to the Victory, British War and 1914-15 Star medals, his qualifying date being 12 November 1915; also the Silver War Badge issued 13 January 1917. His diagnosis was aneurysm of the chest and viewed as a permanent disability.
There is In Memoriam for Edwin in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 23 November 1918.
Additional Information
Has a entry in the National Roll of the Great War.
Edwin is possibly/probably the E DYER commemorated at Oxhey.
Not listed the CWGC records
Acknowledgments
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
