1885 - 1916
CPL David Wallace Crawford
1887 - 1916
Lce-Corpl John Joseph Nickle
1894 - 1916
Pte 17911 Morton Neill
1897 - 1916
Lieut Edward Stanley Ashcroft
1883 - 1918
Pte 24432 Edmund Cecil Davies
- Age: 25
- From: Liverpool
- Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
- K.I.A Saturday 9th June 1917
- Commemorated at: Hop Store Cem, Vlamertinghe
Panel Ref: I.A.58
Edmund Cecil was born in Liverpool in the third quarter of 1892 the son of Robert Davies and his wife Jane (née Shaw) who were married on the 31st August 1887 at St Mary’s Church, Edge Hill. Robert was a widowed 48 year old butcher of 110 Paddington, his father, David, deceased, whilst Jane was aged 30 of 141 Canning Street, her father, John, also deceased.
Edmund was baptised on the 03rd July 1892 at St Cyprian's Church, Edge-Hill, Liverpool.
The 1901 Census finds the family living at 14 Hawthorne Grove, Liverpool. His father, Robert, is a master butcher born in Holywell in 1842, his mother Jane was born in Liverpool in 1857. He has an older sister, Mary Adelaide Morton born in 1891.
His father, Robert, died aged 64, in 1907.
The 1911 Census finds the family living a few doors down at 6 Hawthorne Grove. His mother Mrs R. Davies is widowed, aged 46(?), no occupation, daughter Mary is aged 20, a bookbinder, and Edmund is aged 18, a canvasser for metal polish,
His mother, Jane, died aged 58, in 1915.
Edmund Cecil enlisted in Liverpool and was serving in the 20th Battalion (1st Company) of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 24432.
After initial training at Tournament Hall, the 20th Battalion were housed at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 together with the other 3 Liverpool Pals Battalions, they left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton park, Grantham. They had another period of training at Lark Hill Camp on Salsbury Plain before finally reaching France on the 07th November 1915.
Edmund will have seen action throughout 1916 on the Somme and was in Belgium when he was killed in action on the 09th June 1917 aged 25 years.
The 20th Battalion War Diary records that:
"On relief, Battalion moved to Toronto Camp (G.18.d.5/7) via infantry track, arriving about 2AM. Casualties sustained during relief, 2 O.R. killed and 11 O.R. wounded".
Edmund was one of the two O.R. referred to in the Battalion diary.
His death was reported in the Liverpool Echo on Thursday 28th June 1917;
DAVIES—June 9, killed action, aged 25 years, Edmund Cecil, the dearly-loved brother of M. Davies, 6, Hawthorn-grove, Liverpool.
"If I should die, think only this of me: That there's some corner of a foreign field that is for ever England."
He now rests at Hop Store Cemetery, Vlamertinghe in Belgium where his headstone bears the epitaph:
" FOR DEAR ENGLAND'S SAKE"
Although Vlamertinghe (now Vlamertinge) was just within range of the German artillery for the greater part of the First World War, units of Allied heavy artillery and field ambulances occasionally stationed their headquarters there. The Hop Store Cemetery, opened in May 1915, was on the safer side of the village but it remained a small cemetery because of its position between a hedge and the premises of the hop store itself. The site was low and marshy, particularly at the west end, and was drained by the Royal Engineers early in 1917. There are now 251 First World War burials within the cemetery, almost exclusively of 1915 and 1917. The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield.
Edmund Cecil Davies was killed along with Vivian Cyril Holman. They rest next to each other in Hop Store Cemetery.
Soldiers Effects, Army Pay of £7 14s 11d, a War Gratuity of £10 10s and Pension to his sister Mary Adelaide, 6 Hawthorn Grove.
On the 1921 Census at Hawthorn Grove, his sister, Mary, is aged 30, and is a clerk for the Blackburn Assurance Company.
She died, aged 61, in 1952.
We currently have no further information on Edmund Cecil Davies. If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.
Killed On This Day.
(109 Years this day)Saturday 9th June 1917.
Pte 49490 James Bradbury
23 years old
(109 Years this day)
Saturday 9th June 1917.
Pte 24432 Edmund Cecil Davies
25 years old
(109 Years this day)
Saturday 9th June 1917.
Pte 56519 James Edwards
31 years old
(109 Years this day)
Saturday 9th June 1917.
Pte 49202 Harry (Henry) Holding
29 years old
(109 Years this day)
Saturday 9th June 1917.
L/Cpl 49201 Vivian Cyril Holman
27 years old
(109 Years this day)
Saturday 9th June 1917.
Pte 73593 John Wood Lomas
42 years old
(109 Years this day)
Saturday 9th June 1917.
L/Cpl 23857 Joseph Weston
26 years old
(109 Years this day)
Saturday 9th June 1917.
Pte 58057 Horace Wood
21 years old
(108 Years this day)
Sunday 9th June 1918.
Sgt 21591 William Tom Perreyman
29 years old