EDEN, George

George Eden was the son of Thomas and Mary Eden and attended Halesowen C of E School. He was a regular soldier, possibly in the Reserve, with the Worcesters in 1914. He was well known in Halesowen as a Scout Leader and joined the 3rd Battalion with the British Expeditionary Force. They were at Mons on the 23rd August to face the first German advance and took part in the gruelling retreat which took the army back to the Marne. The German forces were forced to a halt and then obliged by to retreat to the Aisne where several important actions were fought. In one of these on the wooded heights above the river a contested German attack led to many casualties. Among those killed in action on the 21st September was Lance Corporal George Eden. He is commemorated on the La Ferté-sous-Jouarre, Halesowen and Halesowen C of E School Memorials. His brother, Thomas, enlisted in the Royal Engineers and died on the 9th April 1917.