Edmund Canute Curtis

A Sergeant with 2nd Bn., Edmund died on 15th of September 1916 at the age of 29. 

Edmund was born at Reedham, Norfolk, on 3 May 1887, a son of William Alfred John and Charlotte Curtis. He was baptised at Acle on 17 July 1887. In 1891 his family lived at 12 Percy Terrace, Coverdale Road, Barking, and by 1901 at 4 Argents Terrace, Barking, and Edmund worked at a dairy. By 1911 his family were living at 12 Rotterdam Road, Lowestoft.

Edmund became a sailor. By August 1913 he was living in New Zealand and he was sent to prison, at Auckland, for one month for using obscene language. It appears that in 1914 he lived at Kaipara and worked on the S.S. Aotea. 

Edmund joined the 2nd Battalion New Zealand Rifle Brigade (at Dargaville?), and served with F Company. He was a member of the 9th Reinforcements and sailed from New Zealand on 8 January 1916 on the 'Tahiti'. He was already a Sergeant when he set sail.  

On 15 September 1916 the 2nd New Zealand Rifle Brigade were involved in a major attack at Flers, in the Somme region. The following details are taken from 'The New Zealand Medical Service in the Great War 1914-1918: Operation at Flers 15th September 1916' (See Operation at Flers, 15th September, 1916 | NZETC (victoria.ac.nz))

The morning broke in perfect Autumn weather, a slight mist lying in the valleys, the two Battalions of the Second Brigade and the (New Zealand) Rifle Brigade were waiting the signal in their assembly trenches. At 6.30 a.m. the engagement opened, the intensive bombardment, and the creeping barrage crashed out from thousands of guns of all calibres. The two New Zealand Battalions advancing in waves passed over the Crest trench without difficulty, later suffering considerable losses from machine guns in the Highwood, attained their objective beyond the Switch trench in 30 minutes and on time, but it was not until some hours later that they had completed the clearing out of desperately fighting fragments of the Bavarian Division who still clung to portions of the broken trench line. The (New Zealand) Rifle Brigade was now pressing on to the second and third objectives.

By 5 p.m. the advance had ceased. Martinpuich and Coureelette had been carried by the Canadians and the Scottish Division on their right. Highwood had at last been cleared, but with grave losses to the 47th Division; the New Zealand and 41st Divisions were linked in a salient covering Flers, but Morval and Les Boeufs, which were so important to the French, held out, the Guards losing heavily. Some of the objectives had been attained, not all, we had broken through three lines of defence on an average depth of one mile. The 24 tanks co-operating had met with some success. It was determined to push on with the attack the following day.

Edmund was killed in action during the attack at Flers.