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Ask the Expert – Gunner RFA

Our military expert Paul Nixon, pictured below, answers your queries.

From Judy Cligman:

‘I am researching Richard Edwards who was married in Hoxton, London on 25 December 1915 and whose profession was given on the marriage certificate as Gunner RFA. I suspect that he was killed in the Great War. I have found two records of soldiers of that name from London in the list of soldiers who died in the war but don’t know whether either of them could be him.

Could either of these regiments be described as RFA?

One is William Richard Edward: L/CPL enlisted in the Royal Fusiliers (City of London regiment) at the Finsbury Barracks.

The other is Richard Edwards: Regiment Royal Welsh Fusiliers.

Richard Edwards’ father was given on the marriage cert as Edward Edwards Sapper RE.

I would be most grateful for any pointers you could give me on finding the military records of Richard and Edward Edwards.’

Paul says:

‘It’s unlikely to be either of the two men you mention but there appear to be three possibilities on Soldiers Died in The Great War for men of this name who died while serving with the Royal Horse and Field Artillery:

1. 78081 Gnr Richard John Edwards, R and E Neath; KiA 7 August 1916
2. 185151 Gnr Richard Edwards, R Seaham Harbour, Durham; E Sunderland; DoW 27 July 1916
3. 77935 Gnr Richard Edwards, B Preston, E Manchester; KiA 21 March 1918

B = born
R = residence
E = enlisted
DoW = died of wounds
KiA = killed in action

Of these, we can rule out no. 2 and no. 3 because the Commonwealth War Graves Commission records fathers with names other than Edward Edwards. That suggests, by default, that 78081 Richard John Edwards is your man, although I could find no trace of him on the CWGC website.

The marriage records on findmypast.co.uk, however, note that Richard Edwards (no middle name) married Elizabeth M Castleman at Hoxton in the December quarter of 1915. The absence of a middle name means we can also probably rule out Gunner Richard John Edwards as the candidate. Could it be perhaps that he didn’t die during WWI? It might also help to narrow down possibilities if you know where he was born.’

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