Edwin Alfred AMOS

Date of Birth: 26 October 1897.

Address: 13 Royal Mansions, Royal Parade, West Croydon.

Family: Son of Edwin William Amos and Mary Ann Amos.

School Record: Joined Lower Third Form in September 1911; left in November 1913.

House: Green.

Age: 19.

Date of Death: 10 or 11 .

Service No: 61827

Medals:

Service Record: Private in 13th Bn. Royal Fusiliers (previously served in 11th Bn. East Surrey Regiment).

Details of Casualty: Missing, believed killed in action, 10 or 11 April 1917, .

Commemorated: Memorial, France.

Private Edwin Alfred Amos

13th Bn. Royal Fusiliers

Edwin was born in Fulham on 26 October 1897, the only son of parents Edwin William Amos and Mary Ann Amos. The National Census of 1911 records the family residence as 13 Royal Mansions, Royal Parade, West Croydon where Edwin lived along with his younger sister Doris. His father was a bank messenger, which is confirmed by Whitgift Middle School’s records dated July 1911 when Edwin applied to join the School.

Edwin attended the British School before joining the Lower Third Form at Whitgift Middle in September 1911 as a member of Green House, for whom he played 1st XI football and cricket. At the annual athletic sports day in 1912 he placed second in the one mile walking handicap. He left the school in November 1913 but we have no record as to his further schooling or trade until the Great War, at which time he was employed as an insurance clerk.

Lord Derby's Scheme was introduced on 16 October 1915 by which time the rush of volunteers for service had long since dried up. It was opened to men between the ages of 18 and 40 who were told they could enlist voluntarily or attest with the obligation to join up later when called upon to do so. At the same time, the War Office notified the public that voluntary enlistment would soon end and that the last day to register would be the 15 December 1915. Edwin attested at Croydon on 10 December 1915, just before the deadline, and the register confirms his occupation as a clerk. The personal details given were: age 18 years 1 month; height 5’10”; weight 137 lbs; and girth 36½”.

Edwin was called up on 12 May 1916 as Private no. 12523 in 11th Battalion East Surrey Regiment, a service battalion that was based in Colchester. On 1 September 1916 it was converted into 1st Training Reserve Battalion for the 5th Reserve Brigade. His medal index card erroneously records his forename as Edward and also quotes a regimental number of 19261. At some time Edwin was posted to 13th Battalion Royal Fusiliers as Private no. 61827. In April 1917 this Battalion was part of 111 Infantry Brigade, 37th Division, VI Corps under Lt- Gen. J.A.L. Haldane, preparing for the Arras Offensive. The Brigade’s task was to capture the critical hill-top town of Monchy le Preux as part of the Battle of the . http://www.1914-1918.net/bat18.htm

The Battalion War Diary records events thus: -

“10 April 1917 Dawn Just before dawn the Bn was replaced and withdrew to BROKEN HILL and took up position behind the railway embankment at FEUCHY. Noon The Bn moved from the railway line and over ORANGE HILL before swinging quarter left towards woods west of MONCHY. Considerable losses were sustained from the enemy barrage. On reaching the woods they came under heavy MG and rifle fire but advanced to enemy’s side of the wood and the field beyond. These were very swampy. 7.40pm Whole Division ordered to advance again but gained little at high cost. By now, apart from CO and Adjutant only 3 specialist officers remained in Bn. The latter were detailed to Companies with orders to hold the line gained. “11 April 1917 1am Field Coy RE reported and it was decided to construct a line of trench running NE about 30 yards in rear of woods left flank being the smaller wood and right being a trench occupied by 10th Royal Fusiliers. This was completed 4am and front line withdrew to it. 5am Supported attack with tanks driving enemy out of town (MONCHY) and park and destroying MG emplacements which had caused so much trouble before. Enemy rallied on slope of opposite ridge and our Bn’s became mixed up but positions were established in houses on the eastern outskirts of the village which, with the arrival of 111th MGC, silenced enemy MG’s and prevented a counter attack. 4.30pm Bn moved back to support 10pm Bn relieved and moved back to BATTERY VALLEY before going back to Arras.”

The regimental history of the Royal Fusiliers contains the following description of the attack: - “Monchy le Preux. — Meanwhile the 37th Division had moved up. The 13th Battalion reached Blangy at ir.30 a.m. without casualties, and at 1.10 p.m. orders came to move forward and take up positions in Battery Valley, along the line of Fred's Wood, which lies about 200 yards north of the railway, and east of Blangy. At about 6.45 p.m. the battalion moved to the point from which they were to begin the attack on Monchy le Preux, a village standing on a small hill about 90 feet above the surrounding country. Up to the "Blue Line," which had been taken and consolidated early in the day, there was no shell fire; but on crossing it the Fusiliers soon saw that the next line had not been taken in their immediate front and there was no alternative but to attack it preparatory to the final advance. With the 10th Royal Fusiliers on the right, the troops advanced steadily for about 2,000 yards and were at length brought to a halt just east of the Feuchy-Feuchy Chapel road. Their left was in the air, and the 13th Battalion had to form a defensive flank there. In this position they dug in at nightfall. Shortly before dawn they were withdrawn to near Broken Mill and another brigade took over the positions. The 10th Battalion had fallen back to Feuchy Chapel at 4 a.m., and then later to the "Brown Line," farther back.

“About noon on April 10th the Royal Fusiliers moved forward once more. The 13th Battalion crossed the northern end of Orange Hill and then swung half-left towards the outlying woods west of Monchy. The 10th Battalion on the right were in touch, and both units continued to advance under a heavy barrage until the 10th were only 600 yards west of Monchy. The losses of both battalions had been very heavy. At 7.40 p.m. only three officers besides the CO. and the adjutant remained with the 13th Battalion, and a provisional line of trenches had to be dug west of the village, after consultation with the Royal Engineers. This line was completed by about 4 a.m. on April 11th. About an hour and a half later the 10th and 13th Battalions made a last spurt forward and the 13th established themselves north of the village, about a hundred yards west of Hamers Lane ; and this position they held throughout the day. The 10th Battalion, now commanded by Major A. Smith, stormed the village itself and occupied it under a heavy barrage. The west side was entrenched and a small advanced post was established on the east of the village. The cavalry entered the village and were heavily shelled.

“The Royal Fusiliers held these positions until relieved at 11 p.m. that night. It was a memorable day. At one time there was a blinding snowstorm; but the troops ignored such small inconveniences, and, though the Arras front changed considerably in the subsequent operations, the positions at this point were little changed. In December the line was not 1,000 yards farther east than that achieved on April 11th by the Fusiliers. When Lieut. General Sir R. C. B. Haking, G.O.C. XI. Corps, inspected the 10th Battalion on January 5th, he said it was the best-turned-out unit he had seen for twelve months. Their achievement at Monchy le Preux must place them in the front rank for courage, tenacity and skill. Their losses were twelve officers (including Lieut.-Colonel Rice, wounded) and 240 other ranks. The 13th Battalion had also suffered very heavily, and Colonel Layton's words, in reporting the detail of the action, "I consider that the battalion behaved magnificently, and I have nothing but praise for everyone in it," were well merited.”

Edwin was one of those posted missing, believed killed in action on 10 – 11 April 1917, aged 19. His body was either not recovered or not identified, and he is commemorated on the Arras Memorial to the Missing. http://www.cwgc.org/find-a- cemetery/cemetery/82700/ARRAS%20MEMORIAL

Memorial to the 37th Division at Monchy le Preux Acknowledgements: - Commonwealth War Graves Commission. National Archives: War Diary 13th Bn. Royal Fusiliers (WO 95/2532). National Census: 1911. Whitgift Middle School Records and The Mid Whitgiftian, Trinity School Archive. The Old Mid Whitgiftian. Croydon and the Great War. Surrey Recruitment Registers 1908-1933 HC O’Neill, OBE – “The Royal Fusiliers in the Great War” The Long, Long Trail - http://www.1914-1918.net/london.htm Soldiers Died in the Great War. The Times History of the War.