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
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
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 James Dyer was born 1865 in either Newington, Kennington or Lambeth, London, and baptised 12 November 1869 at St Mary’s, Lambeth. He was one of six children.
He married Emma Helen Perry on 29th October 1900 at the 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.
1871 Census records Edwin aged 6, his sister Jane 14 and brother Andrew 10, living with their Aunt and Uncle, Jacob and Caroline Dyer, in Swan Yard, Church Street, Lambeth.
1881 Census records Edwin aged 15, an inmate of the Middlesex County Industrial School, Feltham, Middlesex, he was detained under the Industrial Schools Act. (A training establishment for wayward children, designed to give then a training and to keep them on the straight and narrow).
On the 1891 Census, a shoemaker aged 25, he was a visitor in Lambeth. 1901 Census records Edwin as married and his occupation is given as a General Labourer. He and Emma lived at 85, Medway Road, Croydon, Surrey. His nephew Albert Newman was living with them. 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.
Edwin volunteered in London, on 18th October 1915, and sent to Chatham, Kent, and attested there on 22 October 1915, for Short Service (Duration of the War)joining the 3rd Provision Company, Royal Engineers, with the Service No. 133142: 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 and awarded the Silver War Badge No. 115959, on 13th January 1917. His diagnosis was aneurysm of the chest and viewed as a permanent disability. Edwin died on 23rd November 1917, aged 52, He was buried on 1st December 1917, at the Vicarage Road Cemetery, Watford, Herts.
He had been 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
There is In Memoriam for Edwin in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 23 November 1918.
Please note: The National Roll of the Great War, 1914-1918 information contradicts some of the above. It suggests that he volunteered in 1915 and was drafted to France in the same year. It records that he was engaged on important duties in connection with operations, and was almost continually in the front lines, notably at Armentieres and La Bassee. It also states that he sustained severe shell-shock, and died on November 2rd (November as recorded above). I also gives address as 4 Grover Road, Watford.
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.
Information’ provided with kind permission of Bushey First World War Commemoration Project – Please visit www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk.
Acknowledgments
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk), Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
