Soldier Record

My Great Great Grandfather, Edward Davies, was 24 years old and a coalminer at Senghenydd Colliery. When war broke out in August 1914 he was married with two children and lived at Nantgarw Road, Caerphilly. He had enlisted straight away and arrived in France on the 18th of september 1914. He joined the army service corps initially but then transferred to the 7th Battilion, South Wales Borderers. He served in France and Belgium then in 1917 he was sent to Macedonia where the allies were fighting the Bulgarians.

His last battle of the War took place on the 18th September 1918 exactly four years after arriving in France in 1914. In a disasterous attack on the enemies line the 7th Battalion was virtually wiped out. Of a Battalion strength of 456 men and officers no more than 50 survived. For their bravery the commanding office recieved the Victoria Cross and the Battalion the honour of the Croix de Guerre presented by the French goverment. It was only the 5th time this honour had been presented to a British unit throughout the first world war. Edward Davies was wounded twice on active service and was awarded the 1914 Star and British and Victory Medals.

A funny story about Edward Davies:

At Christmas time on the front line it was cold and thick with mist. E Davies was with a Machine gun group. When morning came and suddenly the mist lifted revealing a group of Germans who had been repairing their Barb Wire in front of their trenches. They were at the complete mercy of my great great Grandfather. But he could not shoot in cold blood! So he stood up on the parapet and waving his hands, shouted at them "B****r off!" which they did. Upon reaching their trench they all turned round waving and shouted to him. "Merry Christmas", they called.