Prescot Roll of Honour

Service Details

The 11th battalion held the distinction of being the fist of the New Army battalions raised by Lord Kitchener. It came into being at Seaforth on 23rd August 1914. Training commenced at Barossa Barracks, Aldershot and then on 28th November they moved to Farnham. On 11th January 1915, the battalion was redesignated as a Pioneer battalion and became 11th Battalion, King's Regiment (Pioneers), the first of many pioneer battalions formed during the war. As well as their ordinary infantry training, the Pioneers now underwent a course of bridge-building, mine digging, road making and trench construction.

On 20th March 1915, they moved to Watts Common, Farnborough where they remained unto 19th May, when they entrained for Folkstone, crossing to Boulogne on 19th, arriving the following day.

William Edwards was one of the men who went to France with them on this date, as shown on his Medal Index Card below.

On 25th, they received orders to proceed to Vlamertinghe for attachment to the second army. At 6.15 on the 26th, they travelled in 45 London omnibuses, marching the final stage to the chateau at 9.15 a.m. They were immediately sent off to the Yser Canal strengthening existing defences and making communications and support trenches. Here they had their first casualties, four men being wounded by enemy shrapnel bursting overhead.

William is also shown on a Nominal Roll of men serving with the Battalion close to Ypres on 20th December 1915.

The battalion continued with their Pioneer work throughout the remainder of 1915, mainly located in the Ypres Salient.

1916 saw a continuation of the pioneer work, with records showing the battalion with its HQ at Elverdinghe in the salient. Here they remained until mid-February, when they were pulled from the sector and moved to Arras, working on the defences until the end of March. They remained around Arras until the end of July, at which point they were moved up in support of the Somme campaign. On 11th August, they moved to Beaumetz, near to Delville Wood area, part of the battle that continued until 3rd September. One of the men recorded in a diary that their camp was located in the original 'No Mans Land', between the original British and German front line trenches.

Until the 30th, the battalion were continually at work in or around Delville Wood, suffering constantly from shell fire. They were relieved on 30th August, eventually reaching billets at Tailly. They were next involved in the battle of Flers-Courcellette, records showing them suffering heavy casualties up until 22nd September. Nothing much is recorded of the battalion until the beginning of 1917, with work on communications trenches in the Arras area occupying the battalion for the first six weeks of the new year.

From mid-February the battalion worked extensively on roads in the vicinity of Arras, in preparation for the coming offensive, but was then rendered unnecessary by the German withdrawal to the Hindenberg Line. The battalion diary for the 18th March states 'A' Company worked on roads south-east of Ronville and Arras-Doullens Road. 'B' Company on Ronville road to old German front line. Two casualties (wounded)'.

It seems likely that Private Edwards was one of these two. He is shown to have Died of Wounds on 26th March and is buried at Warlincourt Halte British Cemetery. The site of this cemetery was chosen prior to the Somme campaign and two Casualty Clearing Stations were located nearby. The Register of Soldiers Effects, shown below, reports that Wiloiam died at No 20 CCS, further noting that hios wife Margaret was his sole legatee.

William Edwards' Medal Index Card

William's headstone at Warlincourt Halte British Cemetery
Picture courtesy and copyright of 'Ponte Fractus', a 'Pal' of the Great War Forum