William James Edwards

A Rifleman with the 8th/9th Battalion, William died on 19th of September 1917 at the age of 29. 

William was born at Lowestoft on 21 March 1888, a son of James and Sarah Edwards. In 1891 his family lived at 44 West Raglan Street. He was baptised at Christchurch, Lowestoft, on 2 September 1896 and his family lived at 44 Stanley Street. This was still the family home in 1911. 

By 1911 William was lodging at 6 Lucas Road, Colchester, and he worked as a compositor. In 1914 William married Florence Mabel Corkerton: this was registered in the Colchester district. By 1917 Florence was living at 17 Rebow Street, Colchester. 

William enlisted in the Army at Colchester. He joined the London Regiment, service number 7058. He was posted to the 1/17th Battalion, in France, with service number 4067. He was transferred to the Royal Irish Rifles, service number 9/43523, and joined the 9th Battalion. On 29 August 1917 the 8th and 9th Battalions of the Royal Irish Rifles amalgamated to form the 8/9th Battalion.

On 14 September 1917 the 8/9th Battalion moved into the Havrincourt sector to relieve the 15th Royal Irish Rifles. The battalion war diary records that from 16 to 20 September the battalion were in the trenches and lost one man killed, which was William, and two men wounded.

William's brother George served with The Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) and died in 1917. His sister-in-law, Blanche, died in an air raid in 1942.