Sgt 16210 Edwin George Stanley

• Age: 24
• From: Stourbridge, Worcs
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• D.O.W Saturday 1st July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

16210 Sergeant Edwin George STANLEY, 18th Battalion KLR.

Edwin “Ned” George Stanley was born in Stourbridge, Worcestershire on July 21st 1891, the son, and eldest child of Ernest Egerton Percival Stanley and his wife Rose Hannah (nee Benford) who were married in Kettering in 1890. Ernest had been born in Stourbridge in 1869, and Rose in Kettering in 1862.

At the time of the 1901 census the family lived at Worcester Street, Upper Swinford, Worcestershire. Edwin George is 9 years old and lives with his parents and two siblings. His father, Ernest is 32 years of age and is a saddler and harness maker and is an employer, whilst his mother, Rose, is 38 year of age. His siblings are listed as; Donald Nowell aged 6 and 1 year old Gwendolen Irene, both were born in Stourbridge. 

Ned was educated at Scott’s School in Stourbridge.

In 1911 they have moved and are living at 9 Wood Street, Port Sunlight, when Ned's father, Ernest, now shown as 42 years of age is the Assistant Superintendent of the Works Fire Brigade at “Sunlight Works”, which was Lever Brothers, whilst his mother is 48. His parents advise that they have been married for 20 years and have had three children all of whom have survived. Ned, aged 19 and Donald, aged 16, are both employed as general office clerks at Lever Brothers, whilst Gwendolin Irene is 11 years of age. 

He was a member of Port Sunlight Old Boys Football and Swimming clubs.

Ned enlisted at St George's Hall in Liverpool on 03rd September 1914, joining the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 16210 (almost certainly with his brother Donald Pte 16204), giving his age as 23 years 43 days and his occupation as a clerk with Lever Brothers and his next of kin as his father living at 100 Greendale Road, Port Sunlight. He was described as 5’ 7” tall, weighing 159lb, a 39" chest with a fresh complexion, blue eyes and light brown hair. He stated his religion as Church of England.

From the 23^rd September 1914 he was billeted at Hooton Park Race Course and remained there until 03^rd December 1914 when they moved into the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 18th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. 

Whilst serving in the UK, Ned was promoted to Lance Corporal on the 24th October 1914, Corporal on the 13th February 1915, and appointed paid Lance Sergeant on the 01st September 1915.  

He crossed to France with his Battalion on board the SS Invicta on the 07th November 1915 and on 17th March 1916 was promoted Sergeant and later that month he was admitted to 97 F.A.(Field Ambulance), and 30 D.R.S.(Divisional Rest Station) suffering from laryngitis and foot trouble and resumed with his unit on 01st April 1916. 

On 1st July 1916, during the attack at Montauban he was wounded in action and died of his wounds later that the same day.

The events of the 1st July for the 18th Battalion were:

At 6.30am the artillery commenced an intensive bombardment of the enemy’s trenches. Zero Hour – 7.30 am – the battalion commenced to leave their trenches and the attack commenced. The attack was pressed with great spirit and determination in spite of heavy shelling and machine gun enfilade fire which caused casualties amounting to 2/3rds of the strength of the Battalion in action. The whole system of German trenches including the Glatz Redoubt was captured without any deviation from the scheduled programme. Consolidated positions and made strong points for defence against possible counter attacks.

Graham Maddocks provides more detail concerning the events of the day:

As the first three waves began to move forward towards the German reserve line, known as Alt Trench and then on to the Glatz Redoubt itself, they suddenly came under enfilading fire from the left. This was from a machine gun which the Germans had sited at a strong point in Alt Trench. The gun itself was protected by a party of snipers and bombers, who, hidden in a rough hedge, were dug into a position in Alt Trench, at its junction with a communication trench known as Alt Alley. These bombers and snipers were themselves protected by rifle fire from another communication trench, Train Alley which snaked back up the high ground and into Montauban itself. The machine gun fire was devastating and it is certain that nearly of the Battalion’s casualties that day were caused by that one gun.

Lieutenant Colonel Edward Henry Trotter wrote in the conclusion of his account of the days action:

I cannot speak to highly of the gallantry of the Officers and men. The men amply repaid the care and kindness of their Company Officers, who have always tried to lead and not to drive. As laid down in my first lecture to the Battalion when formed, in the words of Prince Kraft:

“Men follow their Officers not from fear, but from love of the Regiment where everything had always and at all times gone well with them”.

Joe Devereux in his book A Singular Day on the Somme gives the Casualty Breakdown for the 18th Battalion as Killed in Action 7 Officers and 165 men and of those who died in consequence of the wounds 3 Officers and 19 men a total of 194 out of a total loss for the four Liverpool Pals Battalions of 257.

His death was reported in the Birkenhead News on 15th July 1916. It contained the sad details of Ned's proposed marriage:

A War Tragedy.

Port Sunlight Soldier Killed on Eve of Marriage

"Among the many tragedies of the war the death of Sergeant Edwin George Stanley, 92, Greendale-road, Port Sunlight, stands out prominently, for this young soldier was expected home next week to be married. All the wedding arrangements had been carried out, even to the making of the bridal cake, and to the young girl who was soon to have been a bride and to the gallant young man's parents and family the heartfelt sympathy of all that knew him is extended. Sergeant Stanley, who was 25 years of age, enlisted in the 18th Battalion King's Liverpool Regiment (the 2nd Pals) at the commencement of the war, and went out with them some few months back. For ten years he was employed in the general offices at Messrs. Lever Bros, and Co., and during that time gained the confidence and affection of his employers and co-workers alike. He was a member of the Port Sunlight Old Boys Football Club and the Swimming Club. Among his friends he was known as "Ned" Stanley. His fiancee, Miss Meakin, has received the following letter from the chaplain of Sergt.Stanley's Company:- 

"You will no doubt have heard before this reaches you of the death of E.G. Stanley, of the 18th K.L.R., who was killed in the attack which his battalion made so successfully on Saturday last. I was present when he was buried on the field, close to where he fell, and read a short service over his grave. A ring with the monogram - 'N.S.' was taken from his body, and the enclosed card suggests that he was one who was dear to you. I am therefore forwarding both to you. Pray believe that you have my very sincere sympathy in your bereavement, and that my prayers are for you and all the relatives and friends of those who have fallen in the battle. At any rate they may feel that these sacrifices have not been in vain, for the battle in which he fell was an important and complete victory." 

A younger brother of the late soldier is Private Donald Nowell Stanley of the same Company. He celebrated his 21st birthday on Christmas Day in the trenches. His father, Mr. Ernest E.P. Stanley, is superintendent of the Port Sunlight Fire Brigade".

His employer also wrote the following about Edwin

Sergeant Edward Stanley, of our traffic department, elder son of our Fire Brigade Superintendent, was killed in action on July 1st, after very gallantly leading his men over the parapet and rallying them, when their officers had fallen, with the words,

" Now boys, think for a few moments that we are on Salisbury Plain again, and away we go!" 

His sufferings were brief, but the suspense of his relatives was prolonged, like that of too many families in Port Sunlight, and a rumour that he had survived was encouraged by the first appearance of his name in the official casualty list among the wounded. Before the battle, Sergeant Stanley was anticipating a few days leave, and had made all the arrangments for his marriage at Port Sunlight. This naturally deepened the sympathy with which everybody in Port Sunlight heard of the loss of one of its well-known and promising sons.   

The grave referred to by the Chaplain was either destroyed or was subsequently lost as Ned is now commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme.

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.

On 01st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”

Ned was remembered by his family in the Birkenhead News on 28th June 1919: 

His brother Donald served as Private 16204 in the 18th Battalion, arriving, like Ned, in France on 07th November 1915 and like his brother earned all three medals. Donald survived the war. 

At the time of the 1939 Register at 92 Greendale Road, Bebington, Neds father Ernest, date of birth 13th February 1869, is a retired fire chief,  his mother Rose, date of birth 21st June 1862, and married sister Gwendolen (now Simpson).  

Their father died, aged 88, in 1956 and their mother, aged 79, in 1941.

We currently have no further information on Edwin George Stanley, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.