2nd Lieut Edward Newell Goldspink

• Age: 21
• From: Harleston, Norfolk
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Tuesday 31st July 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

Edward Newell Goldspink was born in the fourth quarter of 1895, his birth registered in Hoxne, Suffolk, the son of George Frederick Goldspink and his wife Emily Hannah (nee Catchpole), of Whittingham Hall, Fressingfield, Harleston, Norfolk, who were married in 1892 in Lewisham, London.

The 1901 Census finds the family living at Whittingham Hall. His father George Frederick is shown as a Farmer, born in 1859 at Weybread, Suffolk whilst his mother was born in 1859 at Rotherhithe. Edward is 5 years of age and his siblings are shown as; Frederick b.1897, Florence b. 1898 and Emily W. b.1900.

His father died aged 49 on 11th February 1907. 

By 1911 he is a boarder at Duncan House School, 7 Albert Square, Great Yarmouth where the Principal was William D. Tomkins B.A.(London). It was a Prep-School for Public Schools and Professional and Business Careers. There are numerous teachers and boarders shown.

He enlisted on the 25^th November 1914 as Private 2641 The Honourable Artillery Company. He served overseas from 1^st July 1915 and was at Cadet School from 7^th May 1916 to 27^th June 1916 when he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant into the 17^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment.

He was killed in action on the 31st July 1917 aged 21 during the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele).

17^th Battalion

On that day, the 89th Brigade was to follow up the attacks of the 21st and 90th Brigades and once their objectives had been taken, to go through them and secure a line of strong points on the German third line. The 89th Brigade line of attack was from the South West corner of Polygon Wood, to the Menin Road. The 17th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment was on the left of the attack, and the 20th to the right, with the 19th Battalion and the 2nd Battalion, The Bedfordshire Regiment, in Divisional Reserve.

The Battalion moved into assembly positions east of Maple Copse between 05.00 and 05.20am, they were heavily shelled and suffered many casualties. At 07.50 they began to advance with the 17^th Battalion on the left, and the 20^th on the right, the whole time under heavy shell fire. On reaching their position which was the Blue Line , troops of both the 21^st and 90^th Brigades were still pinned down  and thus any attempt at further progress were futile.

Despite this they pushed on until their flank was just touching Clapham Junction. They then dug in and awaited the inevitable bombardment which hit them soon after. Despite this, they held onto the ground.  

During the action and their time in the line the 17^th Battalion lost three officers and 79 men killed or died of wounds and four officers and 198 men wounded. They were eventually relieved on the night of 3^rd -4^th August.      

The Battalion attacked the German line from Maple Copse, and as the advance was made, it came under heavy artillery fire, which held it up for a time. Eventually, it was able to advance to a position by Clapham Junction, where it dug in to consolidate the ground taken. Whilst it came under heavy fire from field guns and 5.9inch Howitzers, which killed Second-Lieutenant Goldspink, Second-Lieutenant Dimond and thirty five other ranks.

His body could not be found and identified and as such he is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing at Ypres, Belgium. 

The site of the Menin Gate was chosen because of the hundreds of thousands of men who passed through it on their way to the battlefields. It commemorates casualties from the forces of Australia, Canada, India, South Africa and United Kingdom who died in the Salient. In the case of United Kingdom casualties, only those prior 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions). United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after that date are named on the memorial at Tyne Cot, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war. New Zealand casualties that died prior to 16 August 1917 are commemorated on memorials at Buttes New British Cemetery and Messines Ridge British Cemetery.

The YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick, was unveiled by Lord Plumer on 24 July 1927.

Bury Free Press dated 25^th August 1917:

The late 2^nd Lieut. E. Newell. Goldspink whose death in action on July 31st was reported last week was the eldest son of Mrs. J.J. Marsh’s second brother, the late Mr. G.F. Goldspink, of Fressingfield. Upon leaving school in 1911 he came to the Hall as farm pupil, and his conscientious discharge of his duties, unassuming manner, and kindly sympathetic nature winning the warm esteem of all who knew him. Possessed of a keen sense of justice and right and eager to defend the weak against the strong, his chivalrous spirit was fired by the outrages inflicted on Belgium at the commencement of the war, and upon reaching his nineteenth birthday entered the Hon. Artillery Company as a private, going out to France in July, 1915. After some months of active service he returned to England to study for a commission. Failing at first entered a Cadet school at Fermoy, County Cork, in December, having passed successfully was gazetted to the King’s (Liverpool) Regiment, returning in June to France, where, as already stated he laid down his gallant young life in his country’s cause. The bereaved mother received the following letter:- 

“17^th King’s Liverpool Regiment, 17^th August, 1917:

Dear Mrs Goldspink, - I have refrained from writing to you before about your son’s death, as I thought you would rather hear officially in the first place. We all feel his loss most severely, and offer you our deepest sympathy in your great loss, at the time of his death he was in command of his company. We had finished the attack of 31^st July and were consolidating the ground won. He was doing a splendid work, encouraging and cheering his men on under heavy fire, walking about in the open with utter indifference to his own safety to do so. A shell burst near him, wounding him, and rendering him unconscious. He was brought into the regimental post at my headquarters, and died almost as he reached it. I am sure it will be some small consolation to you to know that he died without pain, and that he was doing magnificent work when he was hit. Again, on behalf of the Battalion and myself, allow me to offer you the deepest sympathy—Yours sincerely J.S. Rendall, Lieutenant-Colonel , commanding 17^th King’s Regiment.”    

Also telegram:

“Buckingham Palace. To Mrs Goldspink, Whittingham Hall, Fressingfield, Harleston, Norfolk. The King and Queen deeply regret the loss you and the Army have sustained by the death of your son in the service of his country. Their Majesties truly sympathise with you in your sorrow.”   

Probate records show the following:

GOLDSPINK Edward Newell of Wittingham Hall, Harleston, Norfolk died 31 July 1917 in France or Belgium Probate London 31 December to Frederick James Catchpole distiller and Grace Goldspink Catchpole spinster. Effects £1535 9s 10d.

Edward is also commemorated on a family tablet placed in Fressingfield Baptist Church which states:

"ELDEST SON OF THE LATE G.F. GOLDSPINK AND MRS GOLDSPINK OF WHITTINGHAM HALL, WHO FELL IN ACTION NEAR YPRES JULY 31 1917 IN HIS 22ND YEAR. 

THE LORD GIVETH AND THE LORD HATH TAKEN AWAY. BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD".

He is also commemorated on the following Memorials:

Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall, Panel 49

Hawkedon War Memorial, Suffolk.

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