Top Navigation

Harri Willis EDWARDS

Main CPGW Record

Surname: EDWARDS

Forename(s): Harri Willis

Place of Birth: Bishopthorpe, Yorkshire

Service No: ---

Rank: 2nd Lieutenant

Regiment / Corps / Service: East Lancashire Regiment

Battalion / Unit: 1/5th Battalion

Division: 42nd (East Lancashire) Division

Age: ---

Date of Death: 1917-04-28

Awards: ---

CWGC Grave / Memorial Reference: Pier and Face 6 C.

CWGC Cemetery: ---

CWGC Memorial: THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

Non-CWGC Burial: ---

Local War Memorial: SKIPTON, YORKSHIRE

Local War Memorial: SUTTON-IN-CRAVEN, YORKSHIRE

Additional Information:

Harri Willis Edwards (born 30 May 1876) was the son of Harri and Marie Edwards, née Willis. Harri, senior, was born at Strabane, Co. Tyrone, Ireland and Marie at Whitby, Yorkshire.

1881 Nelson, Lancashire Census: 40, Carr Road - Harri W. Edwards, aged 4 years, born Bishopthorpe, Yorkshire, son of Harri and Marie Edwards.

1891 Nelson, Lancashire Census: St. Mary's Vicarage - Harri Willis Edwards, aged 14 years, born Bishopthorpe, Yorkshire, son of Harri and Marie Edwrds.

1901 Nelson, Lancashire Census: 68, Carr Road - Harriwillis [sic] Edwards, aged 24 years, born Bishopthorpe, Yorkshire. [Harri and his brother, Douglas G. Edwards, were boarding with Sarah A. Watson, widow.]

Harri was married firstly to Gertrude Louise Bedingfeld in 1905 (died 1908) and secondly to Ada Cranswick in 1910. Ada married Eric Greenwood in 1918.

1911 Sutton-in-Craven, Yorkshire Census: Manor Hill - Harri Willis Edwards, aged 34 years, born Bishopthorpe, Yorkshire, husband of Ada Edwards.

British Army WW1 Medal Rolls Index Cards: Sjt H.W. Edwards, 16/85, W, York. R.; 2/Lt E. Lan. R. Commissioned. Theatre of War first served in: (3) Egypt. Date of entry therein: 22.1215. Correspondence: Mrs. A. Greenwood (née Edwards) applies for 1914-15 Star on behalf of her stepson in respect of her late husband Lt H.W. Edwards. Address: The Old Hall, Oxenhope, Keighley, York[s].

British Army WW1 Medal and Award Rolls: Sgt H.W. Edwards, 16/85, West Yorkshire. Date of Disembarkation: 22.12.15. [Theatre of War first served in:] (3) [Egypt]. Disch'd to Com. E. Lancs Regt. 18.12.16.

British Army WW1 Medal and Award Rolls: 2 Lieut H.W. Edwards, E. Lancs. K. in A. 28.4.17.

Army Registers of Soldiers' Effects: 2 Lt H.W. Edwards, 5 E. Lancs Regt. Date and Place of Death: 28.4.17. In action. To whom Authorised/Amount Authorised: Widow & Legatee - Mrs Ada Edwards. £60 15s. 4d.

UK, WW1 Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923: card(s) for Harri not found.

In 1921 Harri's widow Ada Greenwood and her husband, Eric, were living at Old Oxenhope House, Oxenhope, Yorkshire. In the same year Harri's son, Douglas Bedingfield [sic] Willis Edwards, was a student at Denstone College, Staffordshire. In 1939 Douglas, a bank clerk and his wife Margaret I. were living at Glen Cottage, Bingley. (Douglas married Margaret Irene Hoole in 1931). Douglas died in 1979.

Harri is commemorated in the 'Service Roll of Martins Bank'.

Data Source: Craven’s Part in the Great War - original CPGW book entry

View Entry in CPGW Book

Entry in West Yorkshire Pioneer Illustrated War Record: ---

---

Click the thumbnail below to view a larger image.

2nd Lieutenant Harri Willis EDWARDS

2nd Lieutenant Harri Willis EDWARDS

Regiment / Corps / Service Badge: East Lancashire Regiment

Regiment / Corps / Service Badge: East Lancashire Regiment

Divisional Sign / Service Insignia: 42nd (East Lancashire) Division

Divisional Sign / Service Insignia: 42nd (East Lancashire) Division

Data from Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914 - 1919 Records

Soldiers Died Data for Soldier Records

Surname: EDWARDS

Forename(s): Harri Willis

Born:

Residence:

Enlisted:

Number:

Rank: 2/Lt

Regiment: East Lancashire Regiment

Battalion: 5th Battalion (Territorial)

Decorations:

Died Date: 28/04/17

Died How: Killed in action

Theatre of War:

Notes:

Data from Commonwealth War Graves Commission Records

CWGC Data for Soldier Records

Surname: EDWARDS

Forename(s): Harri Willis

Country of Service: United Kingdom

Service Number:

Rank: Second Lieutenant

Regiment: East Lancashire Regiment

Unit: 1st/5th Bn.

Age:

Awards:

Died Date: 28/04/1917

Additional Information:

View Additional Text

View Additional Text For Soldier Records

DE RUVIGNY'S ROLL OF HONOUR 1914-1918 – Part Three

EDWARDS, HARRI WILLIS, Lieut.m 5th (Territorial) Battn. The East Lancashire Regt., eldest s. of the late Rev. Harri Edwards, Clerk in Holy Orders, by his wife Marie, dau. of the late Capt. George Willis, of Aislaby Hall, Whitby; b. Bishopthorpe, near York, 30 May, 1876; educ. Denstone College, co. Stafford; was for 11 years a member on the staff of the Bank of Liverpool at Keighley, during which time he took a keen interest in the Boy Scout movement; joined the 16th West Yorkshire Regt. on the outbreak of war; served with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force in Egypt from 6th Dec. 1915, and with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from April, 1916; obtained a commission as 2nd Lieut. in the 5th East Lancashire Regt. in Dec. following and was killed in action near Peronne 28 April 1917. He m.–1st, at the Parish Church, Nelson, co. Lancaster, 7 Oct. 1905, Gertrude Louise, dau. of Richard Bedlingfeld, and had a son, Douglas Bedingfeld Willis, b. 20 March 1907, and–2ndly, at the Priory Church, Bridlington, 12 April 1910, Ada (Old Oxenhope House, near Keighley), dau. of the late Mathew Cranswick, of Reighton.

HISTORY OF THE EAST LANCASHIRE REGIMENT IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918 (Littlebury Bros. Ltd. 1936)

1/5th Bn. East Lancashire Regiment

1917
On April 27th two platoons of ‘A’ Company, under Captain Cockshutt, attempted to occupy and consolidate an elongated belt of trees known as Canal Wood [Canal Wood was close to the Hindenburg Line to which the Germans had retired to after the Battles of the Somme in 1916], and this was an occasion of much individual but unavailing gallantry. An unexpected check was occasioned by a party of the enemy who occupied a small quarry at the north-east end of the wood, and these had to be bombed out. Having cleared the wood of Germans, the party, which comprised 3 officers and 98 rank and file, started to dig in and succeeded in constructing a trench to a depth of about four feet. The attacking platoons, however, did not reach their final objective until about 4.30 a.m. [28th April] and after desultory sniping for an hour or so from various directions, a body estimated at two companies attacked and succeeded in driving the Lancashire men on to the road. Here they were heavily enfiladed by machine-gun and rifle fire from the south. One of the party’s Lewis guns was put out of action almost immediately and retirement to our own outpost line became essential. Captain Cockshutt was wounded and both his junior officers, 2nd Lieutenants Walkden and Edwards were killed. [Arthur Chamberlain Walkden and Harri Willis Edwards were both employed by the Bank of Liverpool and perhaps knew each other before joining the army] Eleven other ranks were killed and 30 wounded; 15 men were reported missing. Particular gallantry was shown in this affair by one of our sergeants, who brought several wounded men into our outpost line under heavy fire.

England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966

1928

EDWARDS Harri Willis of Old Oxenhope House Oxenhope Keighley Yorkshire died 28 April 1917 in France Probate Wakefield 1 August to Douglas Gaston Edwards bank manager. Effects £325 11s. 10d.

View Additional Image(s)

Additional Photo(s) For Soldier Records

Bank of Liverpool & Martins Limited War Memorial at Barclays Bank, Water Street, Liverpool

Bank of Liverpool & Martins Limited War Memorial at Barclays Bank, Water Street, Liverpool

The identical memorial that was at the Skipton and other branches are lost

Courtesy of David Hearn (War Memorials Online project)

View Craven Herald Articles

View Craven Herald Articles

Craven Herald and Wensleydale Standard Logo

11 May 1917

EDWARDS – Killed in action in France, Lieutenant Harri W. Edwards, West Yorkshire Regiment, formerly of Manor Hill, Sutton-in-Craven, and son of a former vicar of Nelson.

11 May 1917

SUTTON-IN-CRAVEN – FORMER RESIDENT KILLED IN ACTION

The village is deeply moved by the news that a former Sutton resident in the person of Lieutenant Harri W. Edwards has been killed in action “somewhere in France”. Lieutenant Edwards resided at Manor Hill, Sutton, for a few years and was very well known and popular in the village. He formed an excellent troop of Boy Scouts in connection with St. Andrew’s Church, Kildwick, and devoted his spare time to furthering the Boy Scout movement in the district, and was for a time District Commissioner. For over ten years he was on the staff of the Bank of Liverpool at Keighley, and was manager of the Crosshills Branch for a few years. At the outbreak of hostilities, he joined the ranks of the West Yorkshire Regiment (Bradford Pals), ultimately rising to the rank of sergeant. After about twelve months foreign service with the Pals in Egypt and France, he was promoted to commissioned rank. His father was Vicar of Nelson. Shortly before enlistment, Lieutenant Edwards and family removed from Sutton to Oxenhope Old Hall. He leaves a widow and one child.

1919-07-04

PEACE SUPPLEMENT TO THE 'CRAVEN HERALD' – CRAVEN'S FALLEN OFFICERS

LIEUTENANT H. W. EDWARDS

West Yorks. Regiment (Bradford Pals), a former manager of Crosshills Branch of the Bank of Liverpool, killed in action in France.

---

Submit a Correction

    Name (required)

    Email Address (required)

    Telephone (required)

    Soldier Reference - Name:

    Soldier Reference - URL:

    Details of the correction to be made (required)

    Comment on this Soldier Record

    You can leave comments on this soldier record. Please note all comments will be manually approved before they appear on the website.

    No comments yet.

    Leave a Reply

    Pin It on Pinterest

    Share This