Edward Arthur Fennell

A Private with the 1/8th Battalion, Edward died on 27th of August 1917 at the age of 29. 

Edward was born at Lowestoft on 17 November 1887, a son of George and Harriett Fennell. He was baptised at Saint Peter’s Church, Kirkley, on 1 November 1891 and his family lived at 5 Carlton Road. Edward attended Carlton Road School and, on 20 June 1892, he became a pupil at Kirkley School. By 1901 they were living at Ivy Villa, Rotterdam Road. In 1911 his family lived at 45 Maidstone Road and Edward worked as a tin case maker in a fish preserve factory.   

On 25 December 1912 Edward married Harriett Alice Burden at Saint Margaret’s Church. Edward was a painter living at 4 Cathcart Street and Harriett lived at 24 Cathcart Street. By 1916 they were living at 59 Stanley Street and Edward worked as a solderer in a preserving factory. Later Harriett lived at 4 Cathcart Street. In 1921 Harriett married George Martin and moved to Canada. 

Before the First World War Edward served with the 4th Battalion Suffolk Regiment (Territorial Force) for four years. He attested for the Army at Lowestoft on 1 October 1916. He was called up on 1 November 1916 and joined the Suffolk Regiment, service number 6495. He joined the 64th Provisional Battalion on 18 November 1916 and in early 1917 he was renumbered 290240. On 14 June 1917 arrived in France and on 15 June he joined 15 Infantry Base Depot and was posted to the 1/4th Battalion. On 5 July 1917 he was transferred to the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, service number 325024, and was posted to the 1/8th Battalion, joining the battalion in the field on 7 July. 

On 27 August the 1/8th Battalion were to make an attack at St. Julian, Belgium. The battalion’s war diary records the events:

The morning gave promise of a fine day, but the ground was afforded no opportunity for drying as several showers fell. The men remained concealed in their positions, apparently unobserved by the enemy, until zero hour (1.55 p.m.). The five companies then attacked under cover of our artillery and machine-gun barrage, but owing to the activity of the enemy’s machine guns and, to a much greater extent to the impassibility of the ground, the final objectives laid down in operational orders were not gained. Springfield (an enemy outpost) was taken and positions consolidated to the east of the Winnipeg-Springfield Road. . . During the night the battalion was relieved. 

The battalion’s casualties on 27 August were 35 killed, 83 wounded, and 54 missing. Edward was killed in action on 27 August and his personal effects, a wallet and an identity disc, were sent to Harriett. 

The book ‘Some Desperate Glory’, based on the diary of Edwin Campion Vaughan, an officer with the 1/8th Battalion, describes the battalion’s endeavours on 27 August.  

Edward's brother Sidney died in an air raid in 1941.