Roland Percy Edmonds
Memorial: Old Sodbury - St John the Baptist Church
Regiment: Machine Gun Corps
Medals: 1914–15 Star, British War Medal, Next of Kin Memorial Plaque 1914 - 1921, Victory Medal
Rank and number: Corporal 56802
Parents: William James and Fanny (Nee Spencer) Edmonds
Marital status: Single
Home address: Colts Green, Old Sodbury
Pre-war occupation: Scholar on the 1911 Census
Date of birth: 1899
Place of birth: Caldicot, Monmouthshire
Date of death: 01/12/1918
Buried/Commemorated at: Old Sodbury (St John The Baptist) Churchyard
Age: 19
Further information:
Roland served overseas (France) from 23 May 1915 when he was only 15 years old, but his unit, the 13th Hussars saw very little action whilst in France.
No. 15 Machine Gun Cavalry Squadron was formed in February 1916 from men of the 13th Hussars, 14th Lancers and Watson’s Horse and it was likely Roland was part of this group. Both units left France in 1916 and were part of the 7th Indian Cavalry Brigade that saw action in Mesopotamia.
On the 1911 Census, Roland lived with his father and stepmother (His mother Fanny died in 1902) and older brother Arthur Jesse. Roland’s father married a Sarah Ann Scull in 1905 in Old Sodbury.
He is incorrectly recorded under the name of Edwards on the memorial board at the Yate and District Heritage Centre.
Roland served with the Machine Gun Corps (Cavalry) (Formerly 13th Hussars No.16463) and died on 12.1918 2nd General Hospital, Brighton – cause Unknown.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Findmypast (Soldiers Died during the Great War, 1901 & 1911 Census etc), Volunteer Researcher John Davis.