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Edward Davies
| Surname | Davies | |
| Forename/s | Edward | |
| Rank | Private | |
| Service Number | 5120353 | |
| DOB | 1911 in Tupton | |
| Address | Knighton Street, Hepthorne Lane, Tupton. | |
| Date & place of death/details | 22/5/1944 or possibly 27/5/1944 age 33 | |
| Regiment & Unit | 1st Battalion, Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment) | |
| Service details | ||
| Military Awards? | ||
| Married? Children? | Married to Lily Davies (nee Butler) | |
| Any photographs? | yes - Derbyshire Times | |
| Derbyshire Times Obituary? | Yes 16/6/1944 (page 8) |
|
| Parents names | Mr William & Mrs Martha Ann Davies | |
| Parents address | Springfield Cottages, New Tupton | |
| Grave location or memoria location | Buried at, Beachhead War
Memorial, Anzio, Italy, 1.A.4. |
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| Living relatives? | ||
| Any other information? | Joined the army in 1940. Pre war occupation was working at the West Bars Cooperative Store. Before the war Edward was working in the West Bar’s branch of the Chesterfield District Co-operative Society. Lily also worked for the Co-op at the Stonegravels branch. Edward’s obituary states that he had served 4 years in the army. This indicates that he would have enlisted at the start of the war. I have to assume that 1st Battalion of the Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment (known as ‘The Dukes’) was the regiment he joined, but this is not definitive. It was fairly common for soldiers to change regiments in WWI, however much less so in WW2. The 1st Battalion ‘the Dukes’ were part of the 1st Infantry Division throughout the war It is probable that Edward fought in France and retreated to Dunkirk in 1940, as the 1st Battalion ‘the Dukes’ were part of the BEF. The next deployment was to North Africa in 1943 when the 1st Battalion ‘the Dukes’ took part in the Tunisian campaign which resulted in the surrender of the German Africa Corps. In 1944 the 1st Battalion ‘the Dukes’ became part of the United States 5th Army which undertook the Anzio landings on the 22nd January 1944. They would then continue to fight in Italy for the remainder of the war. Edward’s obituary in the Derbyshire Times states that he died on the 27th May 1944, whereas the War Graves Commission have the date of 22nd May. This discrepancy is possibly relevant as on the 23rd May severe fighting took place as the forces in the Anzio beachhead broke out as part of ‘Operation Diadem’. This breakout was a success resulting in the capture of Rome 13 days later. Edward’s obituary also uses the name Edwin.  |