Edmund was the son of Thomas and Esther Catherall of Spon Green. The family was living at Rowlands Row in 1911. Father Thomas was widowed, a brick maker; Edmund aged 15 was a detailer in a brick works. In 1901, the family was at High St, with mother Esther and Annie aged 5 months.

Edmund’s cousin, Edmund Godfrey Catherall was killed in Egypt in 1917. The fathers of Edmund and Edmund Godfrey Catherall were brothers.

From the Bistre Parish Magazine, March 1916

We very much regret to record the death of Sergeant. Edmund Catherall of the 10th RWF. The chaplain of the Battalion writes to say that he was hit by a fragment of shell whilst in the trenches on Thursday February 17th & that he was killed instantly.   He is buried just behind the line in a little military cemetery, side by side with others of his Battalion who have helped to pay the price of victory. As soon as possible we will put a cross over his grave to mark his last resting place. His death is a heavy loss to the Battalion, for he was a good soldier, always keen to do his duty and very well spoken of by his officers.

Edmund Catherall had received his education at our Church School and was a member of our congregation. He was one of the first to join our Church Lads’ Brigade and was also a member of the Men’s Bible Class. We offer our deep sympathy to those who mourn his loss.

Edmund was one of the first to volunteer when war was declared. His Royal Welsh Fusiliers service number 15787 was in a batch issued in September 1914, when he was posted to the 10^th Battalion, a component of the 25^th Division. Edmund proceeded to France on 27 September 1915, but no sooner had he landed, than the 10^th Battalion was transferred to the regular army’s 3^rd Division on 15 October, which was at that time manning static front line trenches at the time he was killed by enemy shelling.

Edmunds’ father, Thomas Catherall, remarried in late 1912 to widow Annie Williams. They were domicile at 4 Bank Road, Brook Street in 1921, and it was Annie Catherall, as ‘Stepmother’, named when claiming a dependents pension.