Name
William John Edwards
1893
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
26/04/1917
23
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
43128
Bedfordshire Regiment
6th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
DUISANS BRITISH CEMETERY, ETRUN
III. F. 20.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Aspenden Village Memorial, Aspenden, Buntingford War Memorial, Buntingford, Buntingford Boy Scouts Memorial, Town Hall, Buntingford, All Saints' Church Memorial(s), Hockerill, St Mary the Virgin Church, Therfield, Non-conformist Chapel, Therfield, Bishop's Stortford Town Memorial, Bishop's Stortford Cricket Club Memorial Plaque, Bishop's Stortford College Memorial Hall, Bishop's Stortford
Pre War
William John Edwards was born in 1893 in Buntingford, Herts. to Walter and Eliza Edwards.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at Hare Street Lane, Layston, Buntingford.
He was educated at Bishop's Stortford College but by 1911 William was boarding at 1 Upper Street, Islington and working as a Pawnbroker's Shop Boy. His parents and siblings were living at Meeting Alley, Baldock Lane, Buntingford. He was living at Buntingford at the time of enlistment.
Wartime Service
He enlisted at Westminster initially into the Essex Regiment (Reg. No. 1809) and later transferred to the 6th Bedfordshire Regiment.
He died from wounds at No. 8 Casualty Clearing Station, France (situated at Agnez-le-Duisans at the time), probably from wounds received during the Second Battle of the Scarpe two days previously.
Additional Information
Brother to Richard George Edwards died 1 June 1916 (Portsmouth Naval Memorial) and Charles Edward Edwards who died in 1919. His father Walter received a war gratuity of £10 and pay owing of £9 18s 8d. He is recorded on his family headstone in Bishop’s Stortford Cemetery.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Malcolm Lennox, Jonty Wild, Carol Emery, Brenda Palmer
