Name
Edward James Shadbolt
12 November 1893
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
15/09/1916
22
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Serjeant
15786
Bedfordshire Regiment
8th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 2 C.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Harmer Green & Digswell Memorial, Harmer Green, St John's Church Memorial Plaque, Digswell, Not currently aware of any Burnham Green memorials
Pre War
Edward James Shadbolt was born on 12 November 1893 in either Digswell or Burnham Green, the son of Walter and Susan Shadbolt, and baptised on 10 December 1893 in Digswell, Herts. (N.B. Both Census returns state he was born in Digswell).
On the 1901 Census the family were living in Digswell, where his father was a General Dealer (shopkeeper). By the 1911 Census the family had moved to Burnham Green, and Edward was working as a Gardener. His father's occupation was as Head Gardener.
In early 1915 he married Amy Ellen Ewington of Beulah House, Burnham Green, Welwyn, Herts, and they had a child, Edward Cyril Clive Shadbolt.
Wartime Service
He enlisted at Hertford and served with the 8th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment in France from 30 August 1915.
He was killed during the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, part of the Somme campaign, where it was intended that tanks were to be used for the first time, but they did not arrive and the position was not heavily shelled previous to the attack, nevertheless, the attacking companies pushed forward but failed to take the position. The battalion suffered very severe casualties and was ordered back to original trenches.
Additional Information
His widow received a war gratuity of £11 10s and pay owing of £2 18s 7d. She also received a pension of £1 1s 3d from 14 May 1917. It is believed that Amy married a Mr Dewitt in 1926.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Adrian Pitts, Robert Gill, Pat Bird
