The Queens Own Royal West Kent R

The Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment

Private F W Edwards

Photograph by "samayuk"

Private Frederick William EDWARDS, G/17354, 10th Battalion, Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment, killed in action, Flanders France, 27th April 1918.

Born Speldhurst, Kent, son of Frederick John and Ellen Mary Edwards, of The Lodge, Scriventon, Speldhurst, Tunbridge Wells, Kent.

1911 Census - Barden Road, Speldhurst, Tunbridge Wells, Kent - Frederick John Edwards, head, age 42, married, life assurance agent Prudential, born Holtye, Sussex; Ellen Mary Edwards, wife, age 40, married 18 years, 5 children, 3 still alive, born Wickham Market, Suffolk; Violet Emily Edwards, daughter, age 15, single, domestic help, at home, born Speldhurst, Kent; Frederick William Edwards, son, age 13, school, born Speldhurst, Kent; Doris May Edwards. daughter, age 2, born Speldhurst, Kent.

Enlisted Tunbridge Wells, Kent, age 18 years & 54 days, height 5ft 3¾ inches, weight 123lbs. Resided Etherington Hill, Speldhurst, Kent. Formerly cowman.

Home 11th December 1915 to 23rd November 1916; BEF 24th November 1916 to 27th April 1918.

11th December 1915, enlisted; 11th December 1915, to Army Reserve; 11th May 1916, mobilized; 11th May 1916, reposted Army Reserve "B", General Service; 30th August 1916, mobilized; 2nd September 1916, posted 3rd Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment; 8th November 1916, Fired Course of Musketry; 24th November 1916, posted BEF; 24th November 1916, embarked / disembarked; 5th December 1916, posted 10th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment; 27th June 1917, wounded slightly, at Duty; 11th July 1917, 25 General Hospital, scabies; 23rd August 1917, Etaples, 40 Infantry Base Depot; 1st September 1917, to Unit In the Field; 14th November 1917, proceeded to Italy; 2nd March 1918, returned to France with Battalion.

Hagle Dump Explosion - On the 27th April 1918, The Battalion was working on the V3 line. A serious explosion occurred behind the Detail Camp at about 12.30pm caused by an enemy shell striking an ammunition and gun cotton dump. The camp was wrecked and numerous huts set on fire. Rescue parties at once set to work to assist in recovering the numerous casualties from the debris and extinguish fires. Casualties suffered by the Battalion included Lieutenant D F ANDERSON, & 17 other ranks. Wounded 28 other ranks. Missing 1 other ranks.

18th November 1918, date when Separation Allowance of 7/4 a week, payable to mother, will cease.

29th September 1919, Statement of Relatives - Father, Frederick John Edwards, The Lodge, Scriventon, Speldhurst, Tunbridge Wells, Kent; Mother, Ellen Mary Edwards, The Lodge, Scriventon, Speldhurst, Tunbridge Wells, Kent; Sisters - Violet Emily Edwards, age 23, The Lodge, Scriventon, Speldhurst, Tunbridge Wells, Kent; Doris May Edwards, age 11, The Lodge, Scriventon, Speldhurst, Tunbridge Wells, Kent.

Buried at Hagle Dump Cemetery, I.D.12., Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.

Speldhurst Church Roll of Honour

This page was last updated on 28-Oct-2018.