Z is for Zillebeke
Remembering Stanley Gilbert Edwards (1889 – 1917), one of more than 54,000 names on the Menin Gate Memorial at Ypres
Stanley Gilbert Edwards (1889 – 1917) was my husband Greg’s great grand uncle, the brother of Greg’s great grandmother Edith Caroline (Edwards) Dawson (1871 - 1946). He was the eighth of ten children of Francis Gilbart Edwards (1848 – 1913) and Caroline Edwards née Ralph (1850 – 1896).
Stanley was born in Richmond, a suburb of Melbourne and was educated at the local State School.
Stanley enlisted on 21 March 1916, giving his occupation as asphalter. He was twenty-six years old, five feet three inches, with grey eyes and brown hair. He was assigned to the 22nd Battalion 14th Reinforcements.
When he enlisted Stanley Edwards was unmarried, but before his departure from Australia he married Alice Louise Wilson (1892 – 1964).
On 28 July 1916 Edwards sailed with his unit from Melbourne on HMAT A32 Themistocles.
On 4 December 1916 he joined the 22nd Battalion in France.
In February 1917 he was hospitalised with synovitis to his right knee. His dossier notes that a certificate was issued that the “soldier was not to blame”. He rejoined his unit in April 1917 from Rouen Hospital.
Stanley Edwards was killed with seven other men on 21 September 1917 by a high explosive (H. E.) shell. On 21 September his battalion was at Westhoek near Ypres on the front line.
After the war a cross with his name on it was found at Zillebeke four kilometres south-east of Ypres. The War Graves Commission found no remains there. His name is one of 54,399 names on the Menin Gate Memorial at Ypres .
Three more crosses were found at Zillebeke for:
Private Frank Dawson Pridham and Sergeant John Charles Bailes were both from the 22nd Battalion and both died that day. They are both listed on the Menin Gate Memorial. Bailes was initially buried at Polygon Wood but it seems likely that he was killed by the same shell as he was reported as being killed at the same time as Corporal Gay. From the description on the Red Cross file, Pridham’s death may have been from a separate shell.
Sources
National Archives of Australia: B2455, Edwards Stanley Gilbert : SERN 5343 : POB Melbourne VIC : POE Prahran VIC : NOK W Edwards Alice Louiza
Red Cross Wounded and Missing file for Stanley Gilbert Edwards
Commonwealth War Graves Commission record for Stanley Gilbert Edwards
Wikitree: Stanley Gilbert Edwards (1889 - 1917)
Post first published as https://anneyoungau.wordpress.com/2015/04/30/z-is-for-zillebeke/
This repost inspired by The unveiling of the Menin Gate: Remembering the missing after the war to end all wars published by Mathew Lyons Nov 10, 2024
My Grandma’s younger brother was killed at Ypres, 8 Oct 1917. He had been a Private soldier, in the 23rd Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps. I know so very little about him… Thomas Bunn, b. 12 Dec 1886 in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England.