Private 1659 Edward Arthur Field

Killed in Action on Tuesday, 7th September 1915, age 20.
Buried in Grave I. E. 9. at Larch Wood (Railway Cutting) Cemetery, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.

1st/6th Bn., South Staffordshire Regiment. 137th Brigade of 46th Division.

Son of Sophia Field, of 35, Russell St., Wednesbury, Staffs, and the late Edward A. Field.
Born: Tipton, Enlisted: Wolverhampton, Resident: Wednesbury.

First landed France & Flanders, 5th March 1915.
Medal entitlement: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives did not survive.

Not commemorated on any Tipton memorial, but commemorated on the Wednesbury Memorial Gardens Memorial.
Commemorated here because identified as Tipton on 'Soldiers Died in the Great War'.

Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/488352/

Genealogical Data

Birth of Edward Arthur Field registered March quarter 1895 in Dudley.

1901 Census
13 Church Street, Wednesbury, Staffs.
Edward A. Field (35, Railway Shunter, born West Bromwich), his wife Sophie (29, born Wednesbury), and their 3 children: John T. (8, born Wednesbury), Edward A. (6, born Tipton), and Gladys E. (1, born Wednesbury).

1911 Census
16 King Street, Wednesbury, Staffs.
Edward Arthur Field (45, Railway Shunter, born West Bromwich), his wife Sophie (39, born Wednesbury), and their 3 surviving children of 4: John Thomas (18, Learning Coopering, born Wednesbury), Edward Arthur (16, Carter, born Ocker Hill, Tipton), and Gladys Elizabeth (11, born Wednesbury).

Personal Data

Edward's older brother, John Thomas, was also killed in the Great War. He was serving with the 2nd Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment when he was killed in action on 11th June 1918. He is not commemorated on this site as he was both born and resident in Wednesbury.

After Edward's death, his outstanding army pay and allowances amounted to £0/17/7d (17 shillings and 7 pence), this was paid to his father, Edward Arthur, in December 1915. His War Gratuity was £4/0/0d (4 pounds exactly), this was paid to his mother, Sophia, in December 1919. The value of the War Gratuity suggests that Edward had enlisted in approximately August 1914. It is almost certain that Edward had been a pre-war Territorial soldier.

Edwards's mother, Mrs Sophia Field of 35 Russell Street, Wednesbury, was awarded a Dependant's Pension of 8/0d (8 shillings exactly) per week from 11th April 1917 for a period of 262 weeks (5 years). This was at least 18 months after her son Edward's death, and started at that time as her husband had died in the first 3 months of 1917. This was subsequently increased to 9/0d per week "for life", and then increased to 15/0d per week "for life" from 31st December 1918, after the death of her second son, John Thomas. At this time she was also given a Grant of £20/0/0d (20 pounds exactly).

Action resulting in his death

During September 1915, the 1/6th South Staffs were in the area of Hill 60, south east of Ypres. This slight hillock was fiercely contested for the advantage in observation it provided. The area was renowned for mining and subsequent underground explosions, but artillery bombardments were also fierce. During this period, Hill 60 was held by the Germans, and the South Staffs were a few hundred yards away in an area known as Railway Cuttings.

The 'History of the 6th South Staffordshire Regiment' records for his period: "The rest of the record of this sector (to October 2nd) is a bare statement of incessant hard work - rebuilding, interrupted always by vindictive shelling, and marked tragically by the regular beat of casualties."

On 7th September, Edward Field was killed in action. This would have been in the vicinity of Railway Cuttings, adjacent to Larch Wood (Railway Cuttings) Cemetery, where he is buried.

Newspaper Cuttings

Edward's family paid for an entry into De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour as follows:
FIELD, EDWARD ARTHUR, Private No. 1659, 1/6th Battn. The South Staffordshire Regt. (T.F.), 2nd son of (-) Field, of 35, Russell Street, Wednesbury; born Tipton, co. Stafford, 7th January 1895; educated King's Hill School, Wednesbury; was a Cooper; joined the South Staffordshire Territorials 10 May, 1912; volunteered for foreign service on the outbreak of war; went to France on 3rd March, 1915, and was killed in action at Hill 60, Ypres, 7th September following. Buried on the east side of the railway near Hill 60. Unmarried.