Name
Edward Howard Stevens
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
18/02/1920
36
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Serjeant
16379
Royal Fusiliers *1
2nd (City of London) Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
KINGS LANGLEY (ALL SAINTS) CHURCHYARD
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Kings Langley Village Memorial, Not on the Abbots Langley memorials
Wartime Service
Formerly 2nd Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment.
Biography
Edward Stevens was identified as eligible for inclusion in the Great War records for Abbots Langley when his brother Thomas was recorded in the Absent Voter Records for Abbots Langley in Spring 1919. Subsequently Edward was found to have been included in the Abbots Langley Absent Voter Records for Autumn 1919, under the name of Howard Stevens. Thomas was also recorded in the Roll of Honour for Kings Langley.
Edward, his brother John and his father George all served and were all also recorded in the Kings Langley records, and were not included in the Abbots Langley Roll of Honour. However, through birth-place, and address all of these men can all be considered Abbots Langley men.
Edward was born in 1884 at Stoke Poges. He was one of seven children born to George and Alice Stevens. Edward’s father, and his brothers Thomas and John also served in the Great War. At the time of the 1901 Census the family was recorded living at Rickman’s Hill, Stoke Poges. George worked as a Gas Works Stoker. By the time of the 1911 Census the family had moved to Primrose Hill, Abbots Langley. George worked as a Labourer at a local Paper Coating Mill. As Primrose Hill was close to the centre of Kings Langley the family may have had more association with Kings Langley, than with Abbots Langley.
It is not known when Edward enlisted but in the 1911 Census he was listed serving with the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Berkshire Regiment, and was based in India. At some point he had been attached to the 2nd Nagpur Rifles, Indian Defence Force.
Edward served throughout the War, survived and continued in regular service after the conflict. The UK Army Register of Soldiers’ Effects recorded that he died at Richmond on 18th February 1920. He was serving as a Staff Sergeant Instructor of Musketry. It is not known the cause of death, or whether it was as a result of wounds or injury incurred during the War.
Even though he died in 1920 Edward’s death qualified as Death in War Service with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and he was buried in the Churchyard at Kings Langley.
Edward’s brother Thomas survived the War, however his father died on 11th March 1918, serving with the 15th Battalion, Royal Defence Corps at Gravesend, Kent, and his younger brother John was killed in action on 31st July 1918.
Additional Information
*1 London Regiment
(Royal Fusiliers)
Acknowledgments
Roger Yapp - www.backtothefront.org
