Frederick, Sydney and Walter Edwards
83219 GUNNER
F.W. EDWARDS
CANADIAN FIELD ARTILLERY
22ND SEPTEMBER 1918 AGE 29
ALSO HIS BROTHERS
KILLED IN FRANCE
SYDNEY ON 21ST MARCH 1918.
WALTER ON 24TH MARCH 1918
Fredrick Walter Edwards was born on 21st.June 1890 in Norwich, Norfolk.
At the age of 24 he enlisted into the Canadian Army at Toronto, Ontario on 25th. February 1915. His military record lists him as single, 5 ft. 4 in. tall with a 33 in. chest (expansion 3 in.) He had no prior military experience and his civilian occupation was a teamster, an American term for a truck driver or a person who drives teams of animals.
At first he served as a driver with the 4th. Brigade, Divisional Ammunition Column, Canadian Field Artillery.
Later during the war he served as a gunner with 16th. Battery, 6th. Artillery Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery.
On 8th. August 1918 at 04.20 a.m., 20 minutes prior to the artillery barrage heralding the Battle of Amiens, Fredrick was severely wounded by an enemy shell. He was treated at No. 3 Australian General Hospital before being invalided to England where he was hospitalised and died from his wounds on 22nd. September 1918, aged 29.
Fredrick is buried in Plot 54.2 at Earlham Cemetery, Norwich. He is commemorated on the war memorial at Sarnia, Ontario and on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial. His next of kin, his mother, Mrs. Julia Edwards of 7 Fisher's Building, Grapes Hill, Norwich had the inscription to Fredrick's brother Sydney add to the bottom of his headstone.
Sydney Leonard Edwards was born in Norwich. He enlisted into the British Army at Rotherham in Yorkshire. At the time of his death he was serving as a private, service number 21458, with the 2nd. Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment part of 16th. Brigade, 6th. Division. The 2nd Battalion's nickname was 'The Young and Lovelies'.
In March 1918 the 6th. Division was based around Lagnicourt when the Germans launched a series of attacks along the Western Front called Kaiserschlacht ('Kaiser's Battle'). Also known as the Ludendorff offensive it was launched on 21st. March. The 6th. Division lost over 5,000 men in the first two days of their retreat.
Sydney was killed in action on 21st. March 1918. His remains lay on the battlefield at map reference 57c.C17.c.7.2 until they were found and taken for re-burial in Plot 7, Row A, Grave 5 at Queant Road Cemetery, Buissy, Plas de Calais, France.
Sydney's next of kin was his father, Mr. W.L. Edwards, 4 Ely's Yard, Pitt's Street, Norwich.
Walter Leonard Edwards was born in 1893 in the Hellesdon area of Norwich. His service record shows him serving with the Norfolk Regiment with the service number 22665 and as a private, with the service number 302189, in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.
At the time of his death Walter was private 220295, serving with the 7th. (Service) Battalion, Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders, part of 44th. Brigade in the 15th. (Scottish) Division. The 7th. Battalion served on the Western Front until 10th. June 1918 when, due to high casualties incurred at the First Battle of Arras on 28th. March, the Battalion was reduced to a cadre, with 400 troops being transferred to the 6th Battalion, Cameron's. The 7th. Battalion was disbanded at Listergaux S.W. of Audruicq, France on the 14th. of August 1918.
The 15th. (Scottish) Division was in action at the First Battle of Bapaume, 24/25th. March 1918.
Walter died on 24th. March, aged 25. He has no known grave and is remembered on Bay 9, Course G, Stone 2 of the Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France.
Walter's next of kin is recorded as his mother, Mrs. S. Edwards, 3 Fisher's Buildings, Grapes Hill, Norwich.
Only the christian name and house number differ from that of Fredrick's recorded next of kin, so it is highly likely that these differences are a clerical error and that both Walter and Fredrick have the same mother and she was also responsible for adding Walter's name to Fredrick's headstone.
Frederick, Sydney and Walter Edwards
83219 GUNNER
F.W. EDWARDS
CANADIAN FIELD ARTILLERY
22ND SEPTEMBER 1918 AGE 29
ALSO HIS BROTHERS
KILLED IN FRANCE
SYDNEY ON 21ST MARCH 1918.
WALTER ON 24TH MARCH 1918
Fredrick Walter Edwards was born on 21st.June 1890 in Norwich, Norfolk.
At the age of 24 he enlisted into the Canadian Army at Toronto, Ontario on 25th. February 1915. His military record lists him as single, 5 ft. 4 in. tall with a 33 in. chest (expansion 3 in.) He had no prior military experience and his civilian occupation was a teamster, an American term for a truck driver or a person who drives teams of animals.
At first he served as a driver with the 4th. Brigade, Divisional Ammunition Column, Canadian Field Artillery.
Later during the war he served as a gunner with 16th. Battery, 6th. Artillery Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery.
On 8th. August 1918 at 04.20 a.m., 20 minutes prior to the artillery barrage heralding the Battle of Amiens, Fredrick was severely wounded by an enemy shell. He was treated at No. 3 Australian General Hospital before being invalided to England where he was hospitalised and died from his wounds on 22nd. September 1918, aged 29.
Fredrick is buried in Plot 54.2 at Earlham Cemetery, Norwich. He is commemorated on the war memorial at Sarnia, Ontario and on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial. His next of kin, his mother, Mrs. Julia Edwards of 7 Fisher's Building, Grapes Hill, Norwich had the inscription to Fredrick's brother Sydney add to the bottom of his headstone.
Sydney Leonard Edwards was born in Norwich. He enlisted into the British Army at Rotherham in Yorkshire. At the time of his death he was serving as a private, service number 21458, with the 2nd. Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment part of 16th. Brigade, 6th. Division. The 2nd Battalion's nickname was 'The Young and Lovelies'.
In March 1918 the 6th. Division was based around Lagnicourt when the Germans launched a series of attacks along the Western Front called Kaiserschlacht ('Kaiser's Battle'). Also known as the Ludendorff offensive it was launched on 21st. March. The 6th. Division lost over 5,000 men in the first two days of their retreat.
Sydney was killed in action on 21st. March 1918. His remains lay on the battlefield at map reference 57c.C17.c.7.2 until they were found and taken for re-burial in Plot 7, Row A, Grave 5 at Queant Road Cemetery, Buissy, Plas de Calais, France.
Sydney's next of kin was his father, Mr. W.L. Edwards, 4 Ely's Yard, Pitt's Street, Norwich.
Walter Leonard Edwards was born in 1893 in the Hellesdon area of Norwich. His service record shows him serving with the Norfolk Regiment with the service number 22665 and as a private, with the service number 302189, in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.
At the time of his death Walter was private 220295, serving with the 7th. (Service) Battalion, Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders, part of 44th. Brigade in the 15th. (Scottish) Division. The 7th. Battalion served on the Western Front until 10th. June 1918 when, due to high casualties incurred at the First Battle of Arras on 28th. March, the Battalion was reduced to a cadre, with 400 troops being transferred to the 6th Battalion, Cameron's. The 7th. Battalion was disbanded at Listergaux S.W. of Audruicq, France on the 14th. of August 1918.
The 15th. (Scottish) Division was in action at the First Battle of Bapaume, 24/25th. March 1918.
Walter died on 24th. March, aged 25. He has no known grave and is remembered on Bay 9, Course G, Stone 2 of the Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France.
Walter's next of kin is recorded as his mother, Mrs. S. Edwards, 3 Fisher's Buildings, Grapes Hill, Norwich.
Only the christian name and house number differ from that of Fredrick's recorded next of kin, so it is highly likely that these differences are a clerical error and that both Walter and Fredrick have the same mother and she was also responsible for adding Walter's name to Fredrick's headstone.