Pte 49078 George Edwards

• Age: 26
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• Died Thursday 6th June 1918
• Commemorated at: Ham British Cem
  Panel Ref: II.E.20

George Edwards was born on 29^th March, 1892 in Liverpool. His parents John Robert Edwards, born in Flintshire, and Ellen Ann (nee Williams) from Anglesey, were married in Anglesey in 1875. They had ten children, all born in Liverpool, four of whom died.  Six children appear on censuses with George: older brothers William, Rowland, and John, and younger siblings Ellen and Arthur.  A biography of his brother John states that the children were brought up in a religious home, with the Welsh love of music and singing.  Several members of the family distinguished themselves in the field of music.

In 1901 the family is living at 81 St. Domingo Vale. His father is a commercial clerk, and his three older brothers all have commercial occupations. George is 9.  It is likely he attended Granton Road Council School, like his brother John.

In 1911 they are at 78 St. Domingo Vale, Everton.  His father is a shipping clerk.  Brother William, 34, is a book-keeper, John, 25, is a clerk, George is 19, a railway porter, sister Ellen is 16, and Arthur, 13, is at school.   

Two years later, in 1913, his father died aged 64, living at 14 Lothair Road.  

George enlisted in Liverpool and was serving in the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 49078.

On 23rd March 1918 he was taken prisoner. during the opening phase of the German Spring offensive. 

He was reported as missing on 28th May 1918 in Weekly Casualty List

According to International Red Cross records, George was held 400 miles away in Stendal POW camp in Saxony.  A letter dated 5^th July 1918 refers to him being a prisoner at Limburg (in West Hessen) but time frame not known.  At some point George was transported back to Ham and put to work on the front (in contravention of international law). He was fatally injured, with 17 other POWs (including Pal Pte 35028 Thomas Tomlinson), by bombs dropped from a French plane. The German record states: “The above named 18 English prisoners of war were killed on 6^th June 1918 by French aviator bombs.”

George now rests at Ham British Cemetery. 

In January, February and March 1918, the 61st (South Midland) Casualty Clearing Station was posted at Ham, but on the 23rd March the Germans, in their advance towards Amiens, crossed the Somme at Ham, and the town remained in German hands until the French First Army re-entered it on the following 6th September.

Ham British Cemetery was begun in January 1918 by the 61st Casualty Clearing Station as an extension of Muille-Villette German Cemetery.

In 1919 the graves in the British Cemetery were regrouped and others were added from the following sites:-

HAM COMMUNAL CEMETERY GERMAN EXTENSION (the "Neuer Friedhof Chaunystrasse"); CROIX-MOLIGNAUX GERMAN CEMETERY (March and April 1918); ESMERY HALLON CHURCHYARD; VILLERS ST. CHRISTOPHE CHURCHYARD (March 1918); EPPEVILLE COMMUNAL CEMETERY GERMAN EXTENSION (March 1918); and ST. SULPICE COMMUNAL CEMETERY.

Ham British Cemetery contains 485 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 218 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 14 soldiers, believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials record the names of 39 casualties known to have been buried in other cemeteries whose graves were not found.

Other German Cemeteries in the area were HAM CHURCHYARD GERMAN EXTENSION; MUILLE-VILLETTE GERMAN CEMETERY and MUILLE-VILLETTE COMMUNAL CEMETERY GERMAN EXTENSION. The British Graves from these three were moved to either HAM BRITISH CEMETERY or ROYE NEW BRITISH CEMETERY.

MUILLE-VILLETTE GERMAN CEMETERY adjoins the West side of the British Cemetery. It now contains the graves of 1,113 identified and 420 unidentified German soldiers.

Philip Orr, the author of "On The Road To The Somme" writes a few paragraphs about the bombing, stating his uncle Cpl Martin was killed in this incident, working behind the lines as a POW, sometimes in the canteens.

The family, obviously having only recently been notified, placed a notice in the Liverpool Echo on the 02^nd December 1918:

Edwards  “June 6, killed whilst prisoner of war in Germany (by French aeroplane bomb), George, the dearly-loved fourth son of Mrs. Edwards, 3 Clapham Road, Anfield, and the late John R. Edwards. - Deeply mourned by Mother, Sister, and Brothers.”

His mother learned of George's death just days after learning of the death of his brother, Lieutenant John Robert Edwards, whose death was announced on 19^th November, one week after the armistice.  John served with the Welsh and Monmouthshire Regiments, and the Labour Corps.  He died of influenza/pneumonia, aged 33, on 15^th November 1918. He now rests at Etaples Military Cemetery.

Soldiers Effects and Pension to mother Ellen Ann

We can only imagine how Ellen Ann Edwards felt. She will have received the news of the Armisitice with unbridled joy, anticipating the safe return of her boys. To find out within weeks of that initial joy that two had perished must have left her brokenhearted.

Ellen Ann died in 1931, aged 78 , living at 290 Queens Drive.

His brother Rowland served in the Royal Navy and subsequently the Royal Air Force and survived the war.

George is commemorated in Richmond Baptist Church, Everton. 

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