Name
Edward Joseph Emerton
22 May 1887
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
30/10/1917
30
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
808171
Canadian Infantry
49th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Searched but not found
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Panel 24 - 28 - 30.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Knebworth memorials
Pre War
Edward Joseph Emerton was born in Knebworth, Herts on 22 May 1887, the son of Thomas and Annie Emerton (nee Allwright) and was baptised on 28 May 1887 at Knebworth. His parents had married in May 1884 at St Marylebone, London. Edward was one of five children, but was the only one to survive to adulthood.
On the 1891 Census the family were living in Stevenage Road, Knebworth, where his father was working as a coachman domestic. His mother died in early 1901, aged 45, and he was living with his widowed father at Coachman's Cottage, The Node, Codicote. Also listed was a visitor Alice Kingsley. His father married Alice in 1903 in Knightsbridge, London but died on 6 January 1910 and on the 1911 Census Edward was living with his stepmother at Knebworth Station and was working as a carpenter. His stepmother was said to be of independent means. Edward had married in Hatfield, Herts in early 1911 to Millicent Key, but his wife was not listed with him. She was recorded as living with her widowed mother at Gun Road, Knebworth. Their daughter Margaret was born in late 1911 and a son Howard in 1913.
The family emigrated to Canada and at the time of enlistment were living in Calgary, Canada where he was working as a carpenter. Their daughter Josephine was born in Calgary in 1917.
Wartime Service
Edward enlisted on 7 January 1916 in Calgary, Canada and joined the 137th Battalion, C.E.F. After training he sailed on the Olympic from Halifax, Nova Scotia to England arriving at Liverpool on 30 September 1916. He was then sent to France on 11 December 1916 and taken on strength of the 49th Canadian Battalion, joining the Battalion in the field on 7 December 1916.
Edward was killed in action on 30 October 1917, aged 30. He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.
Additional Information
Widow later remarried in Canada on 6 November 1918 to Mr Long.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.canada.ca
