As there was no age or why he died on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website, I needed a clue to help tell his story. I phoned the Cemeteries Dept., to find out who was buried with George Henry, also details such as his age when he died and where he died, they told me that he had died in St. Claire’s (Clare’s)Hospital, Rotherhithe, age 19 years, also buried with him is his parents and sister Joyce. This confirmed his parents below.
I believe that George Henry Edwards was born in the 2nd Quarter of 1921 (Hawarden -Flintshire (Mold)HAW/27A/87)), I believe, the son of Samuel & Annie Edwards (nee Lovatt). They married on the 26th April 1920 at St. Deniol’s Church, Hawarden, Sam was 23, a bachelor and Ironworker, his father also named Sam. Annie Lovatt, 19 and a spinster, her father being Samuel Lovatt, both Bride and Groom lived in the Nine Houses, Shotton.
The first time we see George Henry Edwards is on the 1921 census, which was taken on the 19th June 1921, where he is living with his parents at The Devon House, Shotton, Flintshire. Head of the household was Sam Edwards, age 25 years and 2 months old, he had been born in Connah’s Quay and was an Iron Worker, a Doubler in the Sheet Iron Rolling Works, John Summers & Sons, Hawarden Bridge Steelworks, Shotton,, but was “Out of Work.” His wife Annie Edwards was now 20 years and 11 months old, she had been born in Ruabon, Denbighshire. Young George Edwards was 3 months old and had been born in Shotton, Flintshire.
However, I do not know anything about his early or teenage years, so any help in that direction would be very gratefully received.
I have the Casualty (Home & Stations Abroad) lists of the 176 Bty., 63 H.A.A. Regt. Royal Artillery and he is listed as having died of wounds in the UK. I also have his Form RH – which is Deaths 1939-46 (Entry Form). This form gives his number, Regt., and also his place of birth and residence, but they are just Chester and Connah’s Quay respectively. This form also tells us that his death occurred in the UK. George Henry’s Theatre of War was the United Kingdom.
George Henry‘s Royal Artillery Attestation of 1938 tells us that he was already in the Army and as War was declared on the 3rd September 1939 and the Register was taken on the 29th September 1939, he was probably in the Tyneside and Durham areas then, but it tells us that he died on the 17th October 1940.
The 1939 Register shows that his parents were living at 37 Bryn Road , Connah’s Quay U.D., Flintshire, Wales, However his sister Joyce, who had been born in 1929 and was at school was also in the household as was 2 redacted records, meaning there were other people there but their records were closed.
I wanted to know how George Henry had died, so I asked the WW2 Talk Forum for help and they were able to tell me a little bit more about his Regiment – Many thanks to them:-
http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/theatre-of-war-uk-royal-artillery.73195/#post-786057
TD told me that a chap from same Regiment died on 7/10/40 – Harold Hobson (1506131)
Royal Artillery – 176 Bty., 63 H.A.A. Regiment
7 October 1940, aged 22
Died in Wales
He died of Accident at A.A. Practice Camp on 7 October 1940 in World War Two and I think is buried in Swinton (St. Margaret) Churchyard.Believed tohave died in an accident
Did George die in the same sort of circumstances? I have tried to find his death Certificate, but up to now, no luck.
Kyle from the Forum also told me:-
63rd and 64th (Northumbrian) HAA Rgts were defending my home area of Durham and Tyneside they were redesignated HAA in 1940 to distinguish them from the LAA units that were formed on Anti Aircraft duties. The Hq was at Sunderland whilst 176 Bty were at Durham (County) .
I have written to find out about the Rotherhithe Hospital to :- LHLibrary@southwark.gov.uk and also, https://www.southwark.gov.uk/libraries/local-history-library-and-archive/visiting-the-local-history-library-and-archive – but have had no luck so far.
If anyone can shed any light on young George Henry’s life, please get in touch with the website, any information would be gratefully received.
