Pte 49115 Edward Pawson

• Age: 30
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• D.O.W Tuesday 26th December 1916
• Commemorated at: Etaples Mil Cem
  Panel Ref: XX.L.6

Edward was born in Great Crosby in 1886, the second of seven children of Charles Pawson and his wife Annie (nee Aindow) who had married in 1885, his father originally came from Longsight in Manchester and his mother from Formby. His siblings were: Isabella, John, Charles, Richard, William and Mary Ann.

The 1891 Census shows Edward living at Moss Lane, Great Crosby with his maternal Grandparents. His parents were then living at Victoria Road in Crosby.

By 1901 the family is now living at 7 Farm Road, Birkenhead. Edward is 14 and is living with his parents and five children. His father is a 38 year old brewers manager, whilst his mother is also 38 years of age. His siblings are shown as; Isabella aged 15 and born in Waterloo, Crosby, John aged 12 born in Lancashire, Charles aged 9 and Richard aged 2 were born in Liverpool.   

Edward married Elizabeth (Dot) Philip on 15th March 1908 at St Paul's Church, Tranmere, when he was aged 21. Elizabeth was from Birkenhead  They had 3 children Edward who sadly died in infancy, Muriel born in July 1910 and Harold born in September 1914. 

Edward was living with his wife and daughter at 26 Elderwood Road, Birkenhead by the time of the Census of 1911. Edward now 24 is described as an under brewer.

His parents were still living at 7 Farm Road, Birkenhead in 1911. THye advised that they had been married for 26 years and had seven children all of whom had survived. They had four of their children living with them; Charles Henry 19, Richard 12, William 8 and Mary Ann 6.  

His brother Charles was fined 10s with costs following a traffic incident reported in the Birkenhead News on 20th May 1914

A DANGEROUS INCIDENT

Motor-car Drives Through Crowd

A young man named Charles Pawson of 7 Farm Road was summoned for driving a motor car on May the 10th to the danger of the public in Borough Road. Witness estimated the speed at 25 mph. Defendant denied that he was driving to the danger of the public. The policeman, he said, cleared the road and beckoned him to come on. His speed was about 6 mph.

Edward enlisted in Birkenhead joining the Cheshire Regiment as Private 4970 and was serving in the 17th  Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 49115 when he died of wounds at the Canadian General Hospital on 26th December 1916 aged 30.

He now rests at Etaples Military Cemetery where his headstone bears the epitaph:

"UNTIL THE DAY DAWNS AND THE SHADOWS FLEE AWAY"

During the First World War, the area around Etaples was the scene of immense concentrations of Commonwealth reinforcement camps and hospitals. It was remote from attack, except from aircraft, and accessible by railway from both the northern or the southern battlefields. In 1917, 100,000 troops were camped among the sand dunes and the hospitals, which included eleven general, one stationary, four Red Cross hospitals and a convalescent depot, could deal with 22,000 wounded or sick. In September 1919, ten months after the Armistice, three hospitals and the Q.M.A.A.C. convalescent depot remained.

The cemetery contains 10,771 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, the earliest dating from May 1915. 35 of these burials are unidentified. It is the largest CWGC cemetery in France, and was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

His death was reported in the Birkenhead News on 20th January 1917

TRANMERE SOLDIER DIED OF WOUNDS

Former West Cheshire Brewery Employee

After waiting patiently for better news as to the fate of her husband, Pte E. Pawson of the K.L.R. Mrs Pawson, who resides at 109 Old Chester Road, Tranmere, has now received the distressing information that he had died of wounds received in action in France. Mrs Pawson had been informed by the Record Office at Preston that Pte Pawson died on December 26th. Thinking there had been some mistake she had further inquiries made, and has now received a letter from one of the sisters in charge of the Canadian General Hospital confirming the intelligence, and stating that he was buried in a beautiful French Cemetery close by. The deceased had been employed at the West Cheshire Brewery as under brewer to his father, Mr C. E. Pawson, who has been Head Brewer for a great many years. Pte Pawson was called to the colours in June last, and after training for some time with the Cheshire Regiment, he was transferred to the K.L.R., proceeding to the front some months back. Deep sympathy from a large circle of friends will be extended to his parents and also to his wife, who is left with two little children to mourn his loss. Mr C. E. Pawson, has two other sons serving with the forces, one of whom has been a dispatch rider in France for 12 months.

Soldiers Effects to widow Elizabeth, Pension to Elizabeth, and children Muriel and Harold.

Harold was listed in "The Fallen Heroes of 1917" in the Birkenhead News 09th January 1918

His wife was living at 109 Old Chester Road, Birkenhead at the time of Edward's death. She remarried in 1924.

His brother Richard Pawson serving in the Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force wrote a letter to the Birkenhead News which was published on 02nd February 1918

Sir, having your paper sent me as often as possible, and also being a reader of it for close on 9 years now, I wonder if it is possible to appeal to you to publish a request or two for us. Will anyone of your readers send us a Melodeon, or a mouth organ, or concertina, anything in the line of music. It would enliven our lads up a great deal.

For out here where we are, I can assure you it is not all joy - no houses, no shops, no music places, only what we have got up ourselves. Being a little bit of a light comedian, what little entertainment we have organised has been enjoyed with gusto. I hope you will not think it is impertinent in asking you this. We are in Mesopotamia, and you will see by the paper that all is not milk and honey here. I now close, wishing your paper every success. I remain yours in anticipation.

Private R. PAWSON, 11781

Sig. Section, 6th Battalion South Lancs Regiment, Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force

November 11th 1917

We currently have no further information on Edward Pawson, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.