This man is a candidate for addition to Keighley’s Supplementary Volume under the proposal to add further names in 2024, the centenary of the original roll of honour.
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Supported by the National Lottery’s Heritage Fund, our project intends to submit about 120 names for peer review to add them to the book which is kept at Keighley Library. The unveiling of the book with it’s new names is planned for November 2024, 100 years after the unveiling of the original war memorial.
Lance Corporal. 4th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment. Service no. 235097.
Early life:
Edward was born in 1898 at Wetherby in Yorkshire and his birth was registered there in the first quarter of the year. His parents were John Edward March and Charlotte Farrar March née Farrar. John was employed as a labourer.
He was baptised at St. James Church in Wetherby on 12th January 1898, this was very close to the beginning of the year and his birth may actually have occurred in the previous year.
In the 1901 census he was just three years old and living with his parents at what appears to be Riverside Cottage in Wetherby. John and Charlotte now have three children who were Florrie aged four, Edward Arthur aged three and Joe aged just one. John is employed as a Brewery labourer, probably for the Wharfedale Brewery near the river.
By 1911 the family had moved to Market Place and John is now a coal dealer. They’d had seven children
The four eldest children were at school and they were Florrie aged 14, Arthur aged 13, Joe aged 11 and Laura aged nine.
The youngest children were George aged two and Mabel and James who were twins, aged just one month. Mabel has died very recently as her name is crossed out and the word ‘dead’ added. James does not appear in later records so he may also have died very young.
The next we see of Edward Arthur is when he was employed as a postman and in 1914 he is recorded as an Assistant Postman in Leeds, dated April 1914. He is later recorded in the Postal Service appointment book as a Postman in Keighley, dated 15th January 1918.
His name also appears in the London Gazette as a temporary assistant postman. Page 4298 of issue number 29152, dated 4th May 1915.
War service:
There are no surviving Army service records for Edward but his soldier’s effects record shows a war gratuity payment of £11 which suggests he attested in November 1915, probably under the Derby Scheme. He would have been aged just 17 at that time, so he was under age for service at that time but would have been accepted for attestation.
He appears to have first joined the 1/5th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment with the service number 202261 then was transferred to the 4th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment with a new service number of 235097.
At some point he was made up to Lance Corporal.
War diary entry:
War Diary WO-95/2309/2.
PASSCHENDAELE SECTOR.
April 1916. 10th:
The Battalion was relieved in the PASSCHENDAELE SECTOR by the 23rd Battalion Middlesex Regiment.
The Battalion arriving back in SCHOOL CAMP at 6 am after having been in the line 18 days. The Battalion embussed at 2 pm for an unknown destination, leaving th 10% at ROAD CAMP, ST. JAN ter BIEZEN. The Battalion then proceeded via ABEERLE – BAIELLEUL towards ARMENTIERES and debussed on the main road immediately |North of LA CRECHE at about 4 pm amidst a continuous stream of refugees, wounded, straggler, guns, transport etc., moving back toward BAILLEUL.
LA CRECHE SECTOR.
The Battalion with the remainder of the 88th Brigade deployed immediately and advanced towards the village of LA CRECHE, establishing a position South of the village, covering the approaches from STEENWERKE and the South East. Enemy machine guns and artillery active. The Battalion caught the enemy coming down the railway line in column of fours and dispersed him with Lewis Gun and rifle fire. The 3rd Battalion The Worcestershire Regiment under the command of Major R. F. Traill in action on our right, and in close touch with us. The night was spent in consolidation our position and patrolling.
11th April:
Maintained our position South of LA CRECHE with the 3rd Battalion still on our right and the 2nd Hampshire Regiment on our left. Situation very obscure. At about 2.30 am ‘W’ Company moved forward and occupied STEENWERKE RAILWAY STATION, thus rendering our line more tenable.
12th April:
Still maintained our position South of LA CRECHE. Heavily bombarded, many casualties. 2nd Lieutenant J.H. Watt killed and 2nd. Lieutenant C. H. Gorrie wounded. Situation again very obscure.
Edward was killed in action on 12th April 1918.
He was buried in a battlefield grave at trench map reference at Sheet 36.A.12.9.2.
On 29th September 1919 along with several others, his remains were identified by his identity disc and moved by 102 Labour Company, to Le Grand Beaumart British Cemetery at Steenwerck.
He lies in grave number 8 in row D of plot II.
Remembrance:
Keighley Post Office – Great war memorial.
He is named on his Commonwealth War Grave’s Commission headstone at Grand Beaumart British Cemetery in Northern France.
Here in Keighley he is named as one of five Postmen of Keighley who died in the Great War. They are all remembered on their dedicated war memorial, which is on permanent public display in the Postal Sorting office on Oakworth Road.
He is also named on the main Wetherby War Memorial which is on the road bridge across the river.
Post war:
His mother Charlotte was named as his next of kin and the sole legatee in his will. She received a payment of 8s 10d on 26th August 1918 from his Army pay account. She also received a war gratuity payment of £11 on 21st April 1920.
Charlotte also received a dependant’s pension of 3s 6d per week beginning on 29th October 1918. At that time they were living at 7, Church Street in Wetherby.
His parents would also have been sent any personal effects, plus his medals which were the British War Medal and Victory Medal. They would also have been sent a bronze war memorial plaque and King’s certificate inscribed with his name.
In the 1921 census John and Charlotte and their family are living at High Street in Wetherby. They are fried fish dealers. In the 1939 register John and Charlotte are both retired. John died aged 80 in 1948 and Charlotte died aged 78 in 1950, both their deaths were recorded at Barkston Ash.
Information sources:
Free BMD Birth Index, 1837-1915
1901 England Census
1911 England Census
Postal Service Appointment Book January 15 1918
London Gazette 1665-2018 Issue no. 29152
National Archives – War Diary WO-95/2309/2
Soldiers Died in the Great War
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
British Armed Forces And Overseas Deaths And Burials
Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929
World War I Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923
British Army World War I Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920
World War I Service Medal and Award Rolls, 1914-1920
1921 Census
1939 Register
England & Wales Deaths 1837-2007
