Name
Herbert James Edwards
12 April 1889
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
30/07/1916
25
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
18795
Bedfordshire Regiment
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 2C
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
St Mary's Church Memorial, Stapleford, Not on the Tewin memorials
Pre War
Herbert James Edwards was born in Tewin on 12 April 1889 to James and Mary Ann Edwards and baptised there on 9 June 1889. He was one of ten children.
The family were living at Nancy Bury, Tewin in 1891 (near Queen Hoo Hall). On the 1901 Census the family were living at Bulls Mills Cottages, Stapleford where his father was an agricultural labourer. They were still there in 1911 but only Herbert and his brother Arthur were living there with their parents and were both working as farm labourers.
Wartime Service
Herbert enlisted in Hertford and served with the 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment in France from 30 September 1915.
He was killed in action on 30 July 1916, aged 25, during heavy fighting at Maltz Horn Farm and trench, but his body was not recovered for burial. His name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France.
Additional Information
His mother received a war gratuity of £6 10s and pay owing of 16s 3d.
Brother to Frederick James Edwards who died on 19 August 1916 and is buried in St Sever Cemetery, Rouen, France.
Pension record cards exist in relation to Herbert and his brother Frederick but give no indication of the amount of pension received.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
www.bedfordregiment.org.uk
