Joe Edwards
Fellow soldier / friend
Mentioned: 1917, 1918
Comrades in the field Introduced in passing on April 5, 1917, on his way back to Cambligneul with a group of others. Reported missing three weeks later in the April 28 attack on Arleux ("nothing known of Joe Edwards... hoping 'no news good news'"), and found dead the next day, "pretty well smashed up." Buried at Ecoivres on April 30, with, in Robertson's words, "nearly every one" there: "he had lots of friends for you couldn't help liking him." Still remembered nearly a year later: on March 29, 1918, in the middle of the German spring offensive, Robertson and Gus visit the cemetery specifically to arrange a new cross for his grave.
Appears in the diary · 5 entries
1917
- 5 April 1917… to ECOIVRES and two sections (1 & 3) went up forward to Engineer shelters. Lofty, Tony, Kneelands, Joe Harryat + Joe Edwards were in on their way back to Cambligneul. Fritz dropped the odd shell (just one) on a hut …
- 28 April 1917… nd Bde went after ARLEUX at 4.40 A.M. – All objectives taken. – Tony Reid wounded in the face – Nothing known of Joe Edwards – hoping "no news good news" all day but still no report at all tonight. – Over 300 priso …
- 29 April 1917Warm Putting finishing touches on the G.O.C.'s hut. – He seems quite happy in there. Joe's body was found last night. – Pretty well smashed up, – he never knew what happened I gu …
- 30 April 1917… on about 1 P.M. but didn't really get started till after three. – Kept at it till dark, so couldn't get down to Joe's funeral. – He was buried at ECOIVRES & nearly every one was there. – He had lots of fri …
1918
- 29 March 1918… I took a walk this aft. in search of news or spies. – Visited the cemetery with a view to putting a new cross on Joe Edwards’ grave. – Called at 3rd A.T. Co’y. – They are busy. A gunner major in to dinner says that …