Driver 100082 Edwin Isaac Davies
Photograph courtesy of Graeme Clarke.
Died Home on Saturday, 27th April 1918, age 24.
Buried in Grave 29. 3. 40. at Walsall (Ryecroft) Cemetery, Walsall, United Kingdom.
Royal Field Artillery, 86th Brigade, "A" Battery. (More likely 76th Brigade, RFA).
Formerly 11238 South Staffordshire Regiment.
Son of Mrs A. Davies, of 9, Narrow Lane, Pleck, Walsall.
Born: Tipton, Enlisted: Darlaston, Resident: Walsall.
First landed France & Flanders, 3rd September 1915.
Medal entitlement: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives survived and transcribed.
Not commemorated on any Tipton 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/395402/
Genealogical Data
Birth of Edwin Isaac Davies registered June quarter 1893 in Dudley.
1901 Census
100 New Road, Tipton, Staffs.
Isaac Davies (35, Brewer's Drayman, born West Bromwich), his wife Alice (31, born Tipton), and their 6 children: Frederick (9, born Tipton), Edwin I. (8, born Tipton), Alice L. (6, born Tipton), Charles F. (3, born Tipton), Annie L. (2, born Tipton), and Henry T. (10 months, born Tipton).
1911 Census
9 Narrow Lane, Pleck, Walsall, Staffs.
Alice Davies (41, Widow, Charwoman, born Tipton), and 8 of her 9 children: Frederick (19, Whipmaker, born Great Bridge), Isaac (17, Nut & Bolt Screwer born Great Bridge), Charles (13, School, born Great Bridge), Louisa (12, School, born Great Bridge), Harry (10, School, born Great Bridge), Cyril (8, School, born Walsall), Joseph (6, School, born Walsall), and Walter (5, School, born Walsall).
Personal Data
Edwin enlisted with the 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment on 26th August 1914 at Walsall, and was given army number 11238. He was 21 years of age, and employed as an Electical Engineer. His medical examination recorded him being 5 feet 4½ inches tall with a 34-inch chest, and weighing 112 pounds. He had a fresh complexion, grey eyes, light brown hair and his physical development was noted as being 'good'; he was Church of England. Having enlisted on the 26th August 1914, he joined the 3rd Battalion in Plymouth a few days later, on the 30th August.
One of the roles of the Special Reserve battalion was to provide officers and men to the Regular battalions during war–time. Many of the Special Reservists in August 1914 had joined the ranks of the regular battalions, so the Special Reserves were recruiting to fill those gaps. After 6-months full-time training these men would be considered capable of being transferred to the battalions at the front. Edwin did not follow this pattern but joined the Royal Field Atillery in around April 1915. This would give him time to complete his 6-months training with the Special Reserves, but no information exists to explain this movement.
After Edwin's death, his outstanding army pay and allowances amounted to £16/16/2d (16 pounds, 16 shillings and 2 pence); this was paid to his mother, Alice, in September 1918. His War Gratuity was £13/10/0d (13 pounds and 10 shillings), this was also paid to his mother in December 1919. The value of the War Gratuity suggests that Edwin had enlisted in approximately April 1915.
Edwin's mother, Alice, was awarded a Dependant's Pension of 9/0d (9 shillings exactly) per week, effective from 5th November 1918. Her address was 9 Narrow Lane, Pleck, Walsall.
Action resulting in his death
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission records Edwin being in the 86th Brigade of the Royal Field Artillery; It is likely that he belonged to the 76th Brigade. A single Hospital Admissions records exists which shows him in Italy in March 1918, and this records him as 76th Brigade. 86th Brigade were never in Italy. To add credence to this, Edwin landed in France on 3rd September 1915, this is the date that 76th Brigade, RFA, first landed.
During initial training in England 76th Brigade was in the 16th (Irish) Division, leaving the Division in July 1915. After landing in Le Havre on 3rd September 1915, 76th Brigade joined the Guards Division and saw action at the Battle of Loos, and at the Battle of the Somme. On 19th January 1917, 76th Brigade RFA left the Guard Division and became an Army Brigade, this allowed the Army Commander to utilise the brigade at the point he best thought.
In November 1917, the 76th Brigade was transferred to the Italian front, where it stayed for a relatively short time, returning to France in April 1918. However, a single Hospital Admission record shows that Edwin did not travel back with his unit, but in a Hospital Ship.
Edwin is recorded as being transported from Paese (near Treviso) to Genova (Genoa) by Ambulance Train No. 31 on the 2nd and 3rd March 1918. From Genova, a Hospital Ship would transport him back to England. Paese was the location of No. 38 Casualty Clearing Station, and the 200-mile rail journey was to avoid sailing the length of the Adriatic and around the foot of Italy, some 1,000 miles. Edwin was recorded as suffering from 'External Piles'.
Edwin died on 27th April 1918 at Exeter War Hospital. His Pension Card gives the cause of death as 'endocaritis'. Endocarditis is inflammation of the inside lining of the heart chambers and heart valves (endocardium), generally caused by a bacterial infection. It is possible that the 'external piles' which caused his departure from Italy led to blood poisoning, which may have led to endocarditis.
Edwin's body was brought home and buried in Ryecroft Cemetery, Walsall.
Newspaper Cuttings
None.