Pte 18192 Edwin Cartwright

• Age: 36
• From: Birmingham
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Friday 8th November 1918
• Commemorated at: Dourlers Cc Ext
  Panel Ref: II.C.7

Edwin Cartwright was born in 1881 in Birmingham and was the son of John and Jane Cartwright, of 65 Kendal Road, Sparkbrook, Birmingham.

The 1911 Census shows Edwin and his family living at Bk 90 Station Road, Erdington.

Edwin is aged 30, born 1881 and a general dealer (rag & bones), his wife Alice is aged 28, born 1883 in Birmingham and occupation laundry washer and their son Edwin aged 3, born 1908. They have been married for eight years and have had two children of which one died.

He enlisted in Liverpool and was serving with the 18^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 18192 when he was killed in action on the 8th November 1918 aged 36 during the hundred days offensive which ended the First World War (8^th August-11^th November 1918).

At the time of his death, warfare had become mobile, with the British Army harrying the Germans, who would retreat to a position, fight, then retreat once more. The day before he was killed the Battalion had just marched from Mariollers to Marbaix in France, when it was ordered to take a position in the line near Marbaix, from the 1/5th Gloucestershire Regiment. On the following day, 8th November an attack was commenced at 07.30am supported by the 100th Battalion Machine Gun Corps and artillery fire. Despite their support, the advancing troops encountered fierce rifle and machine gun fire from the German position’s.

Although the attack was eventually successful, two more officers and thirty six other ranks were to be wounded, and fourteen other ranks Killed, only three days before the Armistice.

Edwin was one of those 14 other ranks killed in action.

He now rests at Dourlers CC Ext, France.

Dourlers village was in German hands during almost the whole of the First World War. It was taken on 07th November 1918, after heavy fighting, by the 6th Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and the 1st K.O.Y.L.I. The communal cemetery was used by the Germans during the war, but in November 1918, a small extension was made by Commonwealth troops at the west end. After the Armistice, the German graves from the communal cemetery and others from the battlefields, together with Commonwealth graves from isolated positions and small cemeteries, were brought into the extension which contains 161 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 14 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to four casualties known or believed to be buried among them. The extension also contains 108 German burials, 62 of which are unidentified.

A notice appeared in the local press 29th November 1918:

CARTWRIGHT - Private Edwin, King's Liverpool Regiment, killed in action. November 8, eldest son of Mrs and the late John Cartwright, 65 Kendal Road. He answered his country's call.

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