Pte 235292 Edwin Laurance Davies

• Age: 21
• From: North Ormesby, Yorks
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Wednesday 8th May 1918
• Commemorated at: Tyne Cot Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 31-34

Edwin Laurance Davies was born on 26th March 1897 in North Ormesby and was the son of Emmanuel Davies and his wife Margaret (nee Lansdale) who had married in December 1892 in Middlesborough. 

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 3, Derwent Street, North Ormesby, Ormesby, Middlesbrough.

The father Emmanuel aged 31, born 1870 is a labourer in an iron works and was born in North Ormesby. His wife Margaret also aged 31 with no occupation listed was born in North Ormesby as were their five children. Their children are living with them at the time of the Census, Emmanuel aged 7, born 1894, Rupert aged 5, born 1896, Edwin aged 4, born 1897, Wilfred aged 1, born 1900 and Maggie born 1900.   

The 1911 Census shows the family now living at 39 Pennyman St, North Ormesby, Ormesby, Middlesbrough.

The father Emmanuel aged 41, is a coremaker in an iron foundry and his wife Margaret now aged 41 has no occupation listed. They have been married for eighteen years and have had nine children of which four had died. They have five children are living with them at the time of the Census, Emmanuel aged 17, is a labourer in an iron foundry, Rupert aged 15, is an errand boy for a baker’s shop, Edwin aged 14, is a lather boy in a barber’s shop, Wilfred aged 11 is at school and Doris aged 6 was born in 1905.


He enlisted in Middlesborough and was formerly 5406, Yorkshire Regiment and was serving in the 17^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 235292 when he was killed in action on the 8^th May 1918 aged 21 during the German Spring Offensive.

The 17th Battalion were at this time in the Vierstraat Sector. the diary reports that the day passed quietly until the afternoon.

The front line ran through Klein Vierstraat Cabaret. At 4.30 pm it was reported that the Germans had advanced and were now in " our original front line". At 7.10 pm A and B company's of the 17th Battalion were ordered to move forward in artillery formation from support line with object of co-operating with French troops who were advancing towards the enemy. At 08.10 pm the advance was reported to be going well on the left but nothing could be seen on the right. The situation at the end of the day was that the 17th Battalion were holding the line alongside several other units but casualties were heavy. Captain Norman Henry and Second Lieutenant Dudley Hammond Black were killed in action alongside 17 other ranks one of whom was Edwin Lawrence Davies.   

Edwin was initially declared Missing on 8th May 1918. Enquiries were made with the International Red Cross by his mother, at 8 Maltby Street, and Preston Kilchen Esq., Town Clerk’s Office, Middlesborough, but a reply was sent on 15th August 1918 that they held no information on Edwin.

His body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium.

Those United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after August 16th 1917 are named on the Tyne Cot Memorial, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war.

The Tyne Cot Memorial now bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Herbert Baker with sculpture by Joseph Armitage and F.V. Blundstone, was unveiled by Sir Gilbert Dyett on 20 June 1927.

The memorial forms the north-eastern boundary of Tyne Cot Cemetery, which was established around a captured German blockhouse or pill-box used as an advanced dressing station.

Reported missing in the Daily Gazette for Middlesborough 7th June 1918 - Pte Edwin L. Davies, King's Liverpool Regt., 8 Maltby St, North Ormesby.

Daily Gazette for Middlesborough 25th January 1919 - Parents still unaware of Edwin's fate

ANY NEWS Regarding PTE E. L. DAVIES, 235292 , "A" Coy,, 1st Platoon, 17th King's Liverpool Regt. (49th Division), missing since May 8th, 1918, will be gratefully received by his parents, 8 Maltby Street, North Ormesby.

Soldiers Effects were sent to his father Emmanuel, Pension to mother Margaret, 8 Maltby St, North Ormesby

Recorded on Roll of Honour 1914-1919 from North Ormesby Methodist Church

Memorial Plaque donated to the Dormans Museum after the church closure

His mother Margaret died 19th June, 1937 aged 67 and his father Emmanuel died December 1940 aged 72. 

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