Pte 58772 Edwin Leslie Briggs

• Age: 23
• From: Leeds
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Monday 9th April 1917
• Commemorated at: Arras Memorial
  Panel Ref: Bay 3

Edwin Leslie Briggs was born on the 7th Oct 1893 in Leeds, the son of Edwin and Henrietta (nee Booth) Briggs who were married on the 5th July 1890 in Emmanuel Leeds. He was baptised on the 4th Feb 1894 at Emmanuel Leeds, parents address 15 St James Square.

The 1901 Census shows the family are living at 31 Back Portland Street, Leeds.

Edwin Leslie is listed as 7 years of  age and lives with his parents and two younger sisters. His father, Edwin, is a marble mason born in Leeds in 1868, whilst his mother was born in Nottingham in 1869. His two sisters were born in Leeds, Ethel C. b.1897 and Gladys M. b.1900.

By 1911 the family have moved to 11 St James Square, Leeds.

Edwin Leslie is now 17 years of age and his occupation is shown as a Carter.. His parents are still present in the household, father Edwin is 43 a fireplace manufacturer, mother Henrietta is 42, they have been married for 20 years and have had 8 childrenof which 3 died. The two younger sisters Ethel Constance 14 and Gladys Mary 11 are at school. There are an additional two siblings in the family, both born in Leeds; Edna Elizabeth b.1902 and Norman b. 1903, who are also at school.


Edwin married Rose Delaney in the December quarter of 1911. They had two children Edward born in 1914 and John Thomas born in 1917. 

He enlisted in Leeds and originally served as 5656, Royal Field Artillery. Following a transfer he was serving in the 18^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 58772 when he was killed in action on the 9^th April 1917, aged 23, during the Battle of Arras. 

Arras 09^th April 1917

Details of the circumstances the 18^th Battalion had to contend with are illustrated below:

The battalion formed the left assaulting battalion of the brigade, the 2^nd Wiltshire Regiment being on the right, the 19^th Manchester Regiment being in support and 2^nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment furnishing “moppers -up”  for the two assaulting battalions. The brigade advance was timed to begin at ---- hour after “Zero”, suited to conform with the movements of 56^th Division and other divisions on our left further north (near Arras). This battalion’s objective was the front-line system Lion Lane on the left (exclusive) to Panther Lane on right (exclusive). This sector included the strongpoint known as “The Egg”.

The brigade advanced at prearranged time, i.e., 11.38 a.m, from position of assembly trenches south of Neuville Vitasse to German front line. This necessitated an advance across the open of at least 2,000 yards. This area up to Neuville Vitasse- Henin road was crossed in artillery formation; after this, owing to machine-gun fire and considerable resistance from German posts forward in the sunken roads, it was found necessary to deploy. During the whole movement across the open the advancing columns had been under considerable artillery fire from guns of all calibres. On gaining the position immediately in front of German line it was found that the wire was practically uncut; this wire formed two strong belts in front of German trenches. Two small gaps were eventually discovered and Second-Lieut H.F.Merry gallantly led a bombing party through them, but his three remaining men were killed as they reached the German trenches.

From the moment the battalion was “held up” in front of German wire Capt. R. W. Jones, the senior company commander on the spot, at once began the work of consolidating in front of German wire. The battalion held on in this position for the remainder of the day, until relieved by the 16^th Manchester Regiment about 3 a.m. on the 10^th of April, all the time under intense machine-gun and rifle fire.

Between 9th-10th April, 1917, the 18th King's lost 2 officers 2nd Lt. F. Ashcroft and 2nd Lt. H.G. Ewing and 59 other ranks killed. 8 other officers were wounded. 

Edwin's body was not recovered from the battlefield or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial.

The ARRAS MEMORIAL commemorates almost 35,000 servicemen from the United Kingdom, South Africa and New Zealand who died in the Arras sector between the spring of 1916 and 7 August 1918, the eve of the Advance to Victory, and have no known grave. The most conspicuous events of this period were the Arras offensive of April-May 1917, and the German attack in the spring of 1918. Canadian and Australian servicemen killed in these operations are commemorated by memorials at Vimy and Villers-Bretonneux. A separate memorial remembers those killed in the Battle of Cambrai in 1917. Both cemetery and memorial were designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, with sculpture by Sir William Reid Dick. The memorial was unveiled by Lord Trenchard, Marshal of the Royal Air Force on the 31 July 1932 (originally it had been scheduled for 15 May, but due to the sudden death of French President Doumer, as a mark of respect, the ceremony was postponed until July).

Leeds Mercury 1st May 1917

The following casualties of Leeds men have been reported:-

Pte E. Briggs, King's Liverpool Regt. (killed), 35 Lawrence Street;

Soldiers Effects went to sister-in-law Fanny Burns, Pension Record to widow Rose Briggs, 35 Lawrence Street, Leeds.

Rose died on 13th Oct 1919, aged 28. She was buried at Killingbeck Roman Catholic Cemetery.

On the 1921 census son John is living with Richard and Fanny Burns at 35 Lawrence Street (Edward living somewhere else)

Details from a family tree:-

The mother died after falling down the stairs on the 2nd of July 1933 aged 64 at 123 Beckett St, Leeds and the father died of mitral disease just a few months later on 2nd Dec 1933 aged 66 at 18 Amberton Rd, Leeds

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