Edgar Herbert Blowers
A Private with the 1/4th Battalion, Edgar died on 19th of July 1918 at the age of 20.
Edgar was born at Kessingland in 1898, a son of Robert William and Marina Blowers. He was baptised at Saint Edmund's Church, Kessingland, on 17 April 1898.
In 1901 his family lived at The Beach, Kessingland, and, by 1911, they lived 'near the Blacksmith's Shop, Kessingland.' Later they lived at 3 Oaklands Terrace, Kessingland.
We don't know exactly when Edgar joined the Army, but he did not service overseas before 1916. His service number and details from medal rolls indicate that initially he served with the Cambridge and Suffolk Reserve Battalion Suffolk Regiment (this is often confused with the Cambridgeshire Regiment which was an entirely different unit) and then, in France/Belgium, with the 8th Battalion Suffolk Regiment. The 8th Battalion was disbanded on 7 February 1918 and, at this point, Edgar was posted to the 4th Battalion Suffolk Regiment which was a pioneer battalion with the 58th (Second London) Division.
On 16 June 1918 the 4th Battalion were at Moillens-au-Bois and the next day moved to trenches at Bois Robert (Bazieux) which battalion Headquarters on Amiens-Albert Road, south of Lavieville. They held these positions for the next few weeks.
The battalion war diary states that on 19th July 1918 'two bombs were dropped on battalion headquarters: I other rank killed'.
The man killed was Edgar. He was buried nearby at Montigny Communal Cemetery.
Edgar had a younger brother, Robert William (Bob), who was lost in the loss of the 'Reclaim' in 1937.
(With thanks to Andy Pearce for additional information)
Edgar Blowers
3
Oaklands Terrace
Kessingland
United Kingdom
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