BORN: 1885 Probably Magor, Monmouthshire, Wales. (Conflicting records).
UNIT: 6th Battalion, South Wales Borderers.
DIED: Killed in Action, 10 Jul 1916, near Albert, Somme, France. Aged 31.
BURIED: No known grave. Commemorated on Thiepval Memorial. Pier and Face 4 A.
LOCAL CONNECTIONS: Llanmartin, Undy, Llandevaud, Magor, Caldicot Pill, Maindee.
Early Life
Edward George THEOBALD was born in 1885, possibly in Magor, Monmouthshire, Wales. He was baptised in Undy parish church on 08 Mar 1885, when his parents lived in Whitewall, Magor. He was one of 10 children of John THEOBALD and his wife Sarah Ann (nee JONES). The uncertainty over his birthplace is because he lived in Magor when he was baptised but he was recorded as born in Caldicot, Llanmartin and Llandevaud on the 1891, 1901 and 1911 census returns.
His father John was a labourer from Llandevaud. John married Sarah Ann JONES from Caldicot on 09 May 1867 in Holy Trinity Church, Newport. The family moved around the area quite a bit. In 1871 they were in Llanmartin, in 1881 they were in Benacre, Caldicot, by 1891 they had moved to Pill Forge Row, Caldicot, and in 1901 they lived on Llandevaud Common. By this time, Edward was a Waterworks Navvy, while his brother William worked as a Waterworks miner. They probably worked on the construction of Wentwood Reservoir, which was built 1896-1903. Meanwhile, Edward’s other brother John had enlisted in the Royal Navy and in 1901 was a Stoker aboard HMS Vulcan, in Malta. [Aside: Robert Falcon SCOTT a.k.a. Scott of the Antarctic had served on the same ship some years earlier].
Edward’s father, John, died in 1907 in Llandevaud and was buried in Llanmartin Churchyard on 05 Feb 1907. John’s will bequeathed his estate, valued at £170, to his widow Sarah. The 1911 census recorded Sarah still in Llandevaud (no address given) with 3 of her children, including Edward. By this time, Edward was working as a Railway Platelayer. Edward’s brother John had left the navy and lived with his married sister Edith Christina WHITE and her husband Simeon in Newport.
Marriage and a ‘Battle Baby’ Tragedy
Edward married Emma Jane PRICE in the Newport Registration District in 1915. This appears to be just before he was sent to France. They had a son, Edward James Neuville St. Vaast THEOBALD born 24 Apr 1916. He was baptised on 16 May 1916 in St. Mary’s Mission Church, Maindee, Newport. It is not clear whether Edward was home to attend the christening. They (or at least Emma) lived at 426 Corporation Road at the time.
Their son was named after the French town where Edward was stationed at the time. 1634 Babies were given WW1 related names between 1914-1919, with a surge around (378) the same time as Edward’s son. For some reason, ‘Battle Baby’ names were particularly popular in Southeast Wales. Tragically, Edward’s baby did not survive and died later in 1916. Since the baby was listed on Edward’s pension record, it seems that the child may have died only weeks after Edward’s death.
Edward and WW1
Edward’s service record appears to be amongst the many that are missing or were burned in the Blitz during WW2. However, other records suggest that Edward, his brother John, and his brother-in-law James Alfred PRICE, all enlisted together on 05 Sep 1914. This is consistent with calculations based on his War Gratuity that put his enlistment in the month from 11 Aug 1914.
The 6th Battalion South Wales Borderers (Pioneers)
Edward, his brother John and brother in law James PRICE were all assigned to 6th Battalion, South Wales Borderers. The battalion was raised in Brecon on 12 Sep 1914 as part of Kitchener’s 3rd New Army. They then moved to Codford, south of Salisbury Plain where they joined the 76th Brigade. They spend the winter of 1914 in billets near Bournemouth. Then, in Feb 1915 the 6th SWB was converted to a Pioneer battalion.
Pioneers were trained as fighting infantry but used for labouring work such as building trenches and other fortifications. The men were usually experienced with picks and shovels, or had skilled trades (carpenters, masons etc). As a navvy and railway platelayer, Edward was ideally suited to this role. The Pioneers moved to Hursley Park in Apr 1915 and then on to Aldershot for five months of final training. They were sent to France on 24 Sep 1915, landing at Le Havre on 25th.
On a very stormy 29 Sep 1915, Edward’s battalion travelled south the Armentieres area. They spent the winter months at various locations including Oosthove Farm, north of Nieppe and Rouge Croix, Lanvetie. From here, working parties were sent out to build or repair roads, trenches, and other fortifications in and around the front lines.
To Neuveille-St. Vaast
By 13 Mar 1916 Edward and his comrades had been despatched to Hautes-Avenses, NW of Arras. Among other tasks they worked on the light railway between Souchez and Neuville-St. Vaast. They moved again in April, to Tilloy-les-Hermavilles, but on 15 Apr they received orders to relieve the Monmouthshire Territorials in Neuville-St. Vaast. They arrived there on 22 Apr 1916. The war diary narrative is clinical, but the author’s shock at what they found is palpable. The village was completely exposed to German machine gun fire and was littered with unexploded shells and unburied dead bodies from both sides. Edward’s brother John was not with him at this time. He had been discharged on health grounds.
The Pioneers set to work on the defences of the village and nearby area. Over the next few weeks they repaired roads, trenches, built trenchwork around mine craters, cleared mounds, and worked on the light railways in the battlefront area. Companies were sent out from Neuville-St. Vaast to their work sites, returning when the work was completed. This may have been several days later. All of this while under constant shell fire. There were many casualties including one poor soldier died of heart failure due to shock.
Their work continued throughout May 1916, the battalion suffering casualties regularly. On 14th May they were sent a congratulatory message by their Brigade’s Lt. Colonel Crosbie for their “gallant and faithful service” during an operation at Crater Q88.1. They retired from the village on 31 May.
Sometime during Edward’s stay in Neuville-St. Vaast, his son was born and baptised in Maindee, Newport.
To the Somme - Edward's final days
Edward and his comrades then moved about 10 miles west to Villers-Chatel but within 10 days they were on the move again. This time it was south to Bouzincourt, just north of Albert, in the Somme. They arrived there on 13th Jun 1916 and set to work on fortifications and trenches in the area. Next they moved to Pierregot, 12 miles west, but within days they were ordered back to Senlis, near Bouzincourt. They arrived there on 01 Jul 1916, the first day of the infamous Battle of the Somme.
The Battle of the Somme began on 01 Jul 1916 with the explosion of huge mines dug under German trenches, including the gigantic Loghnagar Mine near La Boiselle (See Figure 1). This left a crater 100m across and 30m deep. (I have visited the crater and its size is hard to comprehend). Edward was based at Senlis, 6 miles to the west of this explosion. Over the next few days, he moved to Bouzincourt. His regiment was divided in two: A and C Companies remained in Bouzincourt whilst B and D went to Aveluy Wood. On 06 Jul 1916 the 6th SWB were working on front line trenches east of Aveluy Wood, south of Thiepval.
Death and Burial
His death
The Pioneers were ordered back to the town of Albert on 09 Jul. Companies were dispatched from here to various objectives. Then, on 10 Jul the battalion was ordered to create a forward communication trench in La Boiselles, 6 miles east towards the German trenches. Sometime during this action, Edward was killed.
His Burial
Edward has no known grave. He is commemorated on Thiepval Memorial to the missing (Pier and Face 4 A). He is also recorded on the Langstone War Memorial.
His family placed commemorative notices in the local newspaper. The first notice was from his sister Christina and her husband Simeon. The second was by his mother and an unnamed sister. The third was by his widow and brother John ‘Jack’.
He was also commemorated in the Western Railway Staff Magazine.
Medals and Pension
Edward was awarded ‘the full set’ of 3 campaign medals. The 1914-15 Star, British War, and the Victory medals were nicknamed Pip, Squeak and Wilfred. These were characters in a 1920’s Daily Mirror comic strip that coincided with the issue of the 3 medals. The 1914-15 Star was only awarded to those who served in any theatre of war outside the UK between 5 August 1914 and 31 December 1915. As a recipient of this medal Edward would automatically qualify for the British War and Victory medals.
Edward’s back pay pf £4 18s was paid to his widow Emma Jane on 20 Oct 1916. The record says she had a child. It may be that their son Edward had died but the Army did not know. Emma also received a War Gratuity of £9 10s on 08 Sep 1919.
What happened to his family?
Parents
As described above, Edward’s father had died in 1907. His mother Sarah Ann died in 1937, aged 86. She then lived at Stow Hill, Newport, but was buried in Llanmartin churchyard on 22 Dec 1937.
Widow
On 21 Feb 1917, Edward’s widow Emma married his brother John in Maindee, Newport. She still lived in Corporation Road, while he was still with his sister Christina in the adjoining Dewstow Road. John died in 1939 in the Royal Gwent Hospital. His widow Emma lived at 55 Corporation Road. She died in 1978 aged 91.
Siblings
As well as Edward and John, the family included 7 siblings:
Elizabeth Ann THEOBALD married George JONES in Newport in 1893. A family member’s tree suggests that she had second husband called Thomas MORRIS and then lived with a second George JONES as his partner. This needs confirmation. She died in 1958 in Newport.
Sarah Jane THEOBALD married Benjamin WAITE in 1893. They and their children emigrated to Australia in 1924. They had lived at 424 Corporation Road.
Mary Jane THEOBALD married John ENOS in Cardiff in 1898. They moved to Corporation Road and then Archibald Street, Newport. Mary had 15 children but only 9 survived. Mary Jane’s death was registered in the first quarter of 1950.
William Stephen THEOBALD married Rosa Clementine SUMMERS in 1904 in Pontypool. Rosa and William’s mother Sarah Ann did not get on. In fact, Sarah and Rosa’s arguments came to a head in 1907 and they ended up in court. Rosa claimed that Sarah had tried to separate her from her husband since they were married. Sarah denied she had attacked Rosa and said she was only trying to visit her son to discuss her husband’s estate after his recent death. Rosa claimed Sarah was a ‘wicked story-teller’. The magistrate tried to get them to ‘kiss and make up’, but ‘there was no reconciliation from either side’. Sarah was bound over to keep the peace but left the court complaining that Rosa should be bound over too, and she would rather serve 6 months in prison than be the sole party to blame.
Edith Christina THEOBALD married Simeon WHITE in 1907. As reported above, they lived in Newport but later moved to The Arches, Langstone. Christina died there in 1950.
Anna Maria THEOBALD married Percy Henry PENNELL in 1903 in Newport. They also lived in Archibald Street. She died in Newport in 1954.
Alfred George THEOBALD died aged 13 months and was buried in Caldicot.
Ethel Agnes Lucy THEOBALD married Walter DAVIES. He is also listed on the Magor War Memorial. Read his profile here: DAVIES, Walter. Private 33029 (Llandevaud).
Contact me if you want more detail about the sources used or any help finding your ancestors’ stories, military or otherwise.
Links
Shaun Mcguire’s website: http://www.shaunmcguire.co.uk/
The Langstone Community Council profile of Edward can be found here.
