Edwards, Robert

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Robert Edwards
19509, Private, 13th Gloucestershire Regiment
Died from illness, 3 May 1915, aged 36
Buried at Great Malvern Cemetery

CWGC registered (Widow noted as Mrs E Edwards of 32 Provence Road, Bootle, Liverpool)

Robert Edwards was born in Llandudno in 1879, the son of William and Mary Edwards. William Edwards was a plasterer and the family lived at “Rona House”, Mostyn Street, Llandudno. The 1891 Census records the family living at 21 Back Madoc Street: Robert (11) was said to be at “school”. Robert Edwards married Elizabeth Evans (b 3 May 1880) in 1899 and their son John William Edwards was born on 28 August 1900. The 1901 Census for Wales records the family living at 2 Emlyn Cottage, Back Caroline Street, Llandudno. Robert Edwards was described as a “journeyman baker” and gave an age of 24 though he was only 21. Ten years later, the family lived at “Beechwood”, Chapel Street – Robert with a given age of 34.

Robert Edwards enlisted into the 13th (Service) Battalion (Forest of Dean) (Pioneers) Gloucestershire Regiment at West Hartlepool on 17 March 1915. His regimental number was 19509. The details are unusual because they indicate that a man from Llandudno (in 1911 at least) enlisted at West Hartlepool, Co Durham into a West Country pioneer regiment. This conundrum can be partially explained by the fact that a pioneer battalion of the First World War should not be confused with the later Pioneer Corps. Pioneers were both infantrymen and trench diggers – strong physical men who received an extra tuppence a day. Coalminers were often recruited, in this case many from the Forest of Dean coalfield but also men from other coalfields including those in the Northeast – but why a baker from Llandudno?

The Regiment’s depot was at Malvern and even before the new battalion had been officially adopted by the War Office, Robert had died of heart failure in Malvern Rural Hospital. He died on 3 May 1915 and was buried in Great Malvern Cemetery.

Elizabeth Edwards still lived in Bootle in 1939. John William Edwards joined the RAF in 1918 and later became a policeman at Mold.

Known memorials:

  • Llandudno Roll of Honour
  • Llandudno War Memorial
  • Memorial Chapel, Holy Trinity Church, Llandudno

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