Corporal 23008 Edward Herbert Gittins

• Age: 26
• From: Llanwyddyn
• Regiment: 13th KLR
• Died on Wednesday 12th December 1917
• Commemorated at: Favreuil British Cemetery
  Panel Ref: Sp Memorial 3

Edward Herbert Gittins was born in Llanwddyn in 1891 the son of Ellis Gittins and his wife Mary (née Jones).  His parents were both born in Llanwyddyn, on Lake Vyrnwy, and married in 1872. They had seven children, of which Edward was the youngest. He had brothers John, Ellis, and Thomas, and sisters Mary Jane, Catherine, and Elizabeth. The family were Welsh-speaking Methodists.

In 1901 the family is living at “Brynadda”, Llanwyddyn, with five children. His father 56, is a farmer, his mother is 51, and John, 25, helps on the farm. Ellis, 22, is a wagoner, Catherine is 16, no occupation, Thomas is 13, and Edward is 10. 

By 1911 Edward, aged 19, has moved to Liverpool, and is found at 117 London Road (opposite T.J. Hughes), he is employed as an assistant salesman to Harold Peacock, draper and silk mercer, in 18 rooms with other employees and servants. His parents, with siblings Ellis, Catherine, and Thomas are still at Brynadda. His father completed the census form in Welsh.

He enlisted in Liverpool on 9th November 1914  joining the 20th Battalion as Private 23008, giving his age as 23 years and 217(?) days, and his occupation as a clerk. He is described in his enlistment papers as being 5'6 and 3/4 in his tall, weighing 124lbs with grey eyes and brown hair. He gives as next of kin his father Ellis at Brynadda, Llanwyddyn.

Formed in November 1914 the 20^th Battalion were originally billeted at Tournament Hall, Knotty Ash before on 29^th January 1915 they moved to the hutted accommodation purposely built at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 20th 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. He arrived in France on 7^th November 1915.

He was granted leave to the U.K. from 9th April 1916 until 18th April. The next day, 10th April 1916, he married Elizabeth Roberts in Horeb Methodist Church, Bangor. Their daughter Olwen was born on 07th June 1916.

Soon after returning from leave, on 21st April 1916 in the field, Edward was awarded 7 days’ Field Punishment No.1, and forfeited 10 days’ pay for not complying with an order.

On 10th July 1916 he was wounded in action and admitted to 96 Field Ambulance with a gunshot wound to the scalp.  After treatment at 5 Casualty Clearing Station and 1st Canadian General Hospital, Edward was evacuated to the U.K. via Etaples, on the Dieppe on 18th July 1916.  He was immediately placed in the Depot before being transferred to the 3rd Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment.

Edward would have had a chance to see his daughter while he was home, and perhaps attend the funeral of his father, who died in November 1916.

He embarked again for France on 09th May 1917 and arrived at 24th I.B.D. on the 10th and was posted to the 13th Bn K.L.R.  He joined his battalion in the field, then near Arras, on 31st May 1917. 

They moved north to Flanders and were in action during The Battle of the Menin Road and Battle of Polygon Wood during the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele).  He was appointed Acting Corporal on 17th September 1917.  They then moved south and were in action at The Battle of Cambrai (November-December 1917).

Edward was killed in action on 12th December 1917 aged 26. 

He is commemorated on a Special Memorial headstone in Favreuil British Cemetery at Special Memorial 3 where his headstone bears the epitaph common to the headstones of those believed to buried in the Cemetery:

"THEIR GLORY SHALL NOT BE BLOTTED OUT". 

Favreuil village was occupied by British troops in March, 1917, lost in March, 1918, and retaken by the 37th and New Zealand Divisions on the 25th August. The cemetery was begun in April, 1917, and used until March, 1918, by fighting units (particularly of the 62nd (West Riding) Division) and Field Ambulances. Further burials were made in August and September, 1918, and after the Armistice British graves were brought in from the neighbouring battlefields and other burial grounds. 

There are now nearly 400, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, over ten are unidentified and special memorials are erected to four soldiers from the United Kingdom known or believed to be buried among them. Another special memorial records the name of a soldier from the United Kingdom, buried in Favreuil German Cemetery, whose grave could not be found. The bodies of 484 German soldiers were removed after the Armistice from a German Cemetery of 1918 on the North-West side, and 45 from the British Cemetery. The cemetery covers an area of 1,983 square metres and is enclosed by a rubble wall.

His daughter was 18 months old when Edward was killed.  His widow Elizabeth received his Army effects, including a War Gratuity of £15, and was awarded a pension of £1-1s-8d a week from July 1918.  The pension card shows Elizabeth’s address as c/o Mrs. Hughes, 90 Edmund Road, Alum Rock, Birmingham, and later c/o Mrs. Hughes, “High Mead”, College Road, Birmingham.  In April 1919 the Army sent correspondence to 90 Edmund Road, Birmingham, which was returned and sent to corrected address 77 Farndon Road, Birmingham. 

In March 1918 Elizabeth, 125 High Street, Bangor (this may have been her parents’ address), received his personal effects:  Letters, Photographs, 1 Wallet, 2 Religious books, 1 Address, List of notes, 1 A.F.B.216, Return leave warrant, 4 Press cuttings, 1 Pamphlet, Copy of Army form 2965a, Gold ring (9 carat).

In December 1919 Elizabeth Gittins provided information on Edward’s living relatives. She and daughter Olwen were living at 125 High Street, Bangor, North Wales; she provided no information on his parents or siblings.

Edward earned his three medals which Elizabeth signed for in May 1919 and December 1921 as “Elizabeth Jones (late Gittins)”.  However, she appears on later records as Gittins.

His mother died in 1923.

In 1939 Elizabeth Gittins, 45, is the café manageress at the Westminster Café, 113 High Street, Bangor; daughter Olwen is 23.  Olwen married in 1945, had a family, and died in 1987.

Elizabeth appears to have died in 1968.

Edward is commemorated on the following Memorials:

Llanwddyn War Memorial 

Montgomeryshire County Memorial 

Bangor WW1 Memorial

Bangor Cathedral

Cofeb Y Dewrion Heroes Memorial 1914-1918 (WMR 24477), Southwark, Greater London (A book, written by Rev W J Owen around 1919, which contains photographs and obituaries of men from the Bangor (North Wales) district who died in the First World War. The book is located at the Anglesey Archives Centre in Llangefni, but other copies exist, including one in the collection of the Imperial War Museum in London.)

“Os gwelir fi yn Salem lân

'Nol dod trwy'r tân a'r dyfroedd,

Molianu wnaf, mewn cariad cu

Ras Iesu yn oes oesoedd." 

As translated by Google -

If seen in clean Salem,

Come coming through the fire and the waters 

I will praise, in loving love

The race of Jesus for ages

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