This site commemorates the men and women of Collingham, Linton and Micklethwaite who served during World War 1. Today we especially commemorate Rifleman 43504 Tom Hinde Skinner of the King's Royal Rifle Corp who died on this day in 1966.
Edge, William
(1890-?)
 

Rank and Unit at End of World War One

Rank Private

Service Number 13860

Service Army

Battalion 14th Battalion

Regiment West Yorkshire Regiment

Other service during World War One
Information from Medal Index Cards (WO372), Medal Rolls (WO329), Service Records (WO363) and/or Pension Records (WO364) held by The National Archives.
Rank Number Unit
Private 13860 4th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment
Pre-war Occupation*/marital status**

Trade or Occupation pre-war: Gardener
Marital status: Single


* Taken from attestation papers or 1911 census
** Marital status on enlistment or at start of war
Connection with Collingham, Linton or Micklethwaite and reason for inclusion on this web site
  • Lived in Collingham, Linton or Micklethwaite immediately prewar or during the war
  • Worked in Collingham, Linton or Micklethwaite immediately prewar or during the war
  • Named on printed lists of villagers in The Wetherby News or Collingham Parish Magazine

Biography

Family Background

The name W. Edge appears in the Wetherby News in an article of the 18th September 1914 which lists men of the area who had volunteered to serve. This man is listed as living at the time in Micklethwaite. Later, on the 23rd October 1914, the Wetherby News followed up this list with another of the men who were serving. In that list, W. Edge is listed as being "of Wetherby Grange". We have identified this man from his service record which still survives. William Edge was born in early 1890 in Dudleston, Ellesmere, Shropshire, the son of Joseph Thomas Edge, a joiner, and his wife Louisa (nee Pearn). In 1891 William and his parents and a younger sister, Alice, are living at 3 Pant Lane, Dudleston. By 1901 the family are at Dudleston Heath and the family has grown to include a younger brother to William, James. We have not traced William in the 1911 census but by 1914 he is working at Wetherby Grange as a gardener.

Military Service

The Wetherby News article states that W.Edge enlisted on the 8th September 1914 in York. This is confirmed by his military service papers. These show that the following day, 9th September 1914, William was posted to the 4th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment. This battalion was an Extra Reserve Battalion which formed in York in August 1914 as a training unit, it remained in UK throughout the war. The battalion moved around the time of William's joining to Falmouth, and on the 28th November 1914 William was posted on to the 14th (Reserve) Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment which formed in Falmouth in November 1914 as a Service battalion, part of K4, and came under orders of 103rd Brigade of the original 34th Division.

William's military service was short - on the 15th March 1915 William was discharged from the Army under King's Regulations paragraph 392(iii)c. The medical report states he had a congenital deformity of the left foot which rendered him unfit for duty as a soldier. Interestingly, later in the war, as man power became scarce, William was reexamined, under the Military Service Act 1917, but this confirmed the previous decision that William was 'permanently and totally disabled for military service'.

William was awarded a Silver War Badge to show his commitment to the war effort and to demonstrate that he had tried to 'do his bit'.

On discharge William gave his intended address as again being Wetherby Grange, Wetherby.

After the war

We have not been able to trace William Edge's movements after the war.

Biography last updated 19 October 2021 12:50:25.

Sources

The Wetherby News 18/9/1914 & 23/10/1914
First World War British Army Pension Records. The National Archives (WO364).

If you have any photographs or further details about this person we would be pleased to hear from you. Please contact us via: alan.berry@collinghamanddistrictwararchive.info