DAVIES, Edmund

Edmund Davies was born in Stourbridge and enlisted in the army in or about 1901. He served a full engagement with the South Staffordshire Regiment and was in the Reserve in 1914. By that time he was married and living at 75 Green Street, Stourbridge, with his wife and two children. He was working as a colliery bank plate layer. He was called up on the outbreak of war and rejoined his old regiment to serve in A Company of the 2nd Battalion. They saw service from the opening campaign at Mons through First Ypres, the Spring battles of 1915 in Artois, and Loos in September. Edmund Davies had been wounded at some point and returned for the 1916 battle of the Somme. In 1917 the Battle of Arras was the first British offensive of the year. The Staffords were brought up to take part in the second phase and were assigned the task of taking Oppy Wood and village just in front of the strong defences of the Hindenburg Line. On the 28th April an attack was made but failed under intense enemy shelling. A second attempt was made on the 3rd May starting at 3.45 a.m. Again, the intense fire of the defenders was too great, although neighbouring units had some success. Casualties were high and among them was Private Edmund Davies. He was 36 years of age and is commemorated on the Arras, Stourbridge and St. Thomas's church Memorials.