The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

Adam Brown

Alistair McEwen has come across an entry in the Scotsman from 1918 for a Private Thomas Harold Edwards who had been discharged and died in Edinburgh in 1918.

He does not appear on the databases of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database, Soldiers Died in The Great War, or the Scottish National War Memorial. There doesn't seem to a medal card index entry for him either; but it looks like his death may have been related to his injuries and so he may be a non-comm

Here are the details Alistair has found:

Private Thomas Harold Edwards. Age 31. was the elder son of Thomas Edwards, a Wholesale Milliner. of Messrs Keeling, Wiles & Company, London, and Margaret Edwards, of 73 Comiston Road, Edinburgh.

He died in the Royal Scottish Nursing Horne, Drumsheugh Gardens, on 9 June 1918. Having joined the Royal Scots in the first year of the war, he went to the front where, after several months of active service, he received a gunshot wound in the head. He was discharged about eighteen months before his death as incurable, and he returned to his old vocation as a Commercial Traveller with his father's firm on the Scottish and Irish territories.

Shortly before his death, he had two operations. The cause of death was registered as a 3-year old gunshot wound of the skull, a cerebral abcess and heart failure, and the entry was signed by his brother, Percy James Edwards, on 10 June 1918.

He was buried with military honours on 11 June 1918 from the house of his sister at 73 Corniston Road to Morningside Cemetery. His father had pre-deceased him. Surviving siblings were Ethel Alice, Percy James, Emma and Dorothy.

Alistair has a copy of the death registration entry sheet if that helps.

Regards

Adam

kinnethmont · Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 1649 Location: Aberdeenshire

Hi Adam

I have his service file which ties with the details given above but I will need an original image of the DC to progress a case. Can you get Alistair to forward it on to me for further checking.

Does he know if this man has a headstone at Morningside? I should be able to obtain the lair records.

Edwards was a member of the TF and landed in France on 26th Feb. 1915. He was in action at Sanctuary Wood on 30th April and suffered a GSW of the head. He was discharged under KR, " permanantly unfit for further service ", on 26th November 1916.
_________________
Jim

If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

www.kinnethmont.co.uk

Adam Brown · Posted: Thu May 26, 2011 7:00 pm Post subject:

Jim

I will get in touch with Alistair and I'll see if I can get it to you. Morningside - I don't know but Shona Stott on the SWGP may have been there. I will check with her.

Kind regards

Adam

kinnethmont · Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 1649 Location: Aberdeenshire

Adam

I now have the lair details at Morningside and am aware there is no headstone.

I can not progress this further without the DC. If it cannot be supplied fairly soon I can get it myself.
_________________
Jim

If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

www.kinnethmont.co.uk

kinnethmont · Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 1649 Location: Aberdeenshire

2616 Harold Edwards, 9th Royal Scots has been forwarded as a case to MOD / CWGC as a post discharge service related death non comm (GSW related).

Will update when further details available.

Well done Alastair in finding him.
_________________
Jim

If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

www.kinnethmont.co.uk

Adam Brown · Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2011 12:01 pm Post subject:

Jim

Thanks for progressing this. For various reasons I have been away from the forum for a few days. Good to know his name is now with the MoD.

Kind regards

Adam

kinnethmont · Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 1649 Location: Aberdeenshire

The name of Pte. Thomas Harold Edwards was added to the CWGC Debt of Honour register today.

Name: EDWARDS, THOMAS HAROLD
Initials: T H
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Royal Scots
Unit Text: 9th Bn.
Age: 31
Date of Death: 09/06/1918
Service No: 2616
Additional information: Son of Thomas and Margaret Edwards, of Edinburgh.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Memorial: UNITED KINGDOM BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE

The United Kingdom Book of Remembrance commemorates United Kingdom casualties of the two World Wars who were not formerly recorded by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. The men and women remembered here are presently commemorated soleley by their database and register entry. The Commission will continue to investigate the grave location details.

MISSING NO MORE
_________________
Jim

If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

www.kinnethmont.co.uk

Adam Brown · Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2011 2:41 pm Post subject:

Excellent news Jim. I have passed this on to Alistair.

Kind regards

Adam