Also Served: Edwin Greenall - Edwin GREENALL
36 St Helens Road, Prescot Sgt 285, South Lancs. Regt (later 240025)
Edwin Greenall in a picture kidly supplied by Anne Greenall
Born in Widnes in 1889, Edwin's was one of eight children to Edwin (Senior) and Mary Greenall.
His army number of 285 was issued in 1908, coinciding with the reforms of the Territorial Service. As such, he will have attended annual camp for between two and four weeks each year. He would normally have signed up for four years with the colours and seven with the reserve. The picture above, kindly supplied by Anne Greenall, may well show Edwin at a Training Camp before the war.
The 1911 census showed Edwin living with his parents at 32, Hope Street, Prescot. Both he and his father worked at the Wire Works.
Along with his Battalion, Edwin went to France on 12th February 1915, but he returned to the UK on 11th March of that year, presumably to help with training.
In March 1917, he was renumbered to 240025 as part of the Territorial Force renumbering.
He remained in the UK until 30th September 1917, when he went back overseas. At this time, the Battalion had suffered heavy loses in the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendale) and it is likely that they would call on every available man to make up reinforcements. However he returned to the UK on 12th December 1917
He was discharged from the Army at Shrewsbury on 30th May 1918, having served for 13 years and 119 days. He was entitled to the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. The reason for discharge was 'no longer physically fir for War service'. His papers recorded him as 'sober, steady, reliable and intelligent'. The reason that he was not fit was that he suffered from Nephritis, a kidney complaint common amongst men who spent extended periods in the trenches of France and Flanders.
Edwin was also entitled to the Silver War Badge on discharge. The SWB Roll shows that he was Acting Sergeant when discharged, aged 30 year and 4 months, also confirming his enlistment date as 9th April 1908
Edwin died in Prescot in 1974, aged 85. He is commemorated on the EFD Roll of Honour. He is also shown on the 1916 picture of the Prescot Harriers, which is on the Local History page
The above images are extracted from the register of Silver War Badges
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