Edgar Slack
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
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Edgar was the second son of Thomas and Hannah Slack (née Mather). His father was born in Sutton in Ashfield in about 1866 and his mother in Coal Aston, Derbyshire, in about 1867. They were married at Sutton in Ashfield St Mary Magdalene in January 1891 and had five children, including a daughter who died in infancy: Thomas Cyril b. 1891, Alice Elizabeth b. 1893 d. 1893 and Edgar b. 26 July 1894 who were born in Sutton in Ashfield, Bertram b. Ilkeston 1898 and Harold b. Mansfield 1901. Thomas and Edgar were baptised at St Mary Magdalene, Edgar on 19 October 1894. At the time of Thomas' baptism in 1891 the family was living in Dalestorth but on Mansfield Road, Sutton in Ashfield, when Edgar was baptised three years later. By 1901 Thomas, a life assurance superintendent, his wife and their three sons, Thomas, Edgar and Bertram, were living at 22 Garden Road, Mansfield. The fourth boy, Harold, was born later that year. Thomas, Hannah and their sons Thomas a printer's agent, Edgar a printer's apprentice, Bertram a draper's errand boy and Harold, who was still at school, were living at 34 Rosemary Street, Mansfield. The family was at the same address when Edgar was killed in 1917. Thomas snr. died in March 1935; he and his wife were then living at 1 Edgar Avenue, Mansfield. Edgar's older brother, Thomas Cyril, a sanitary inspector, home address Derby, enlisted in 1916 at the age of 24. He named his father Thomas of Clare Villas, Rosemary Street, Mansfield, as his next of kin. He was posted to the 1st London Sanitary Company RAMC (1268) on 25 January 1916 but after serving for 189 days was discharged on 31 July 1916 under Para 392 iii (cc) King's Regulations, 'not likely to become an efficient soldier on medical grounds.' Thomas had spent three periods in hospital in London during his service, twice with rheumatoid arthritis and once suffering from mylagia (63 days). He was discharged to an address in Derby.
'C' Company, 1/8th Batttalion, Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment). 2733, 305742 (Private) Edgar was killed in action on 17 February 1917 and is buried in Warlincourt Halte British Cemetery, Saulty, France (grave ref. V.A.4). The Battalion was in line in front of Fonquevillers at the end of 1916, beginning of 1917, with intervals in support and in billets at Souastre. According to the Roll of Honour in a history of the 1/8th Battalion, Edgar was one of four members of the Battalion killed on 17 February, the others being Privates G Addison, F Makin and JW Sharman. 'The most unpleasant experience we ourselves had was on February 16th [16th/17th], when we relieved the 7th Battalion [Sherwood Foresters] for the last time in this sector. The relief itself was carried out under difficulties, owing to a certain amount of gas shelling, but later on the Hun sent over perfect showers of gas bombs, and absolutely deluged the front and support lines, whilst he also fired a considerable number of gas shells into the village ... It was our first experience of any real gas shell bombardment and partly owing to this and partly to the high concentration of the gas used we suffered heavy casualties, four men being killed and 24 wounded.' (History of the 1/8th Battalion Sherwood Foresters 1914-1919, pp165-166, Captain WCC Weetmman MC CdeG.) Note: 328024 Private John William Sharman was also buried in Warlincourt Halte British Cemetery (V.A.8). He is commemorated on the Radford All Souls Memorial (see record on this Roll of Honour). CWGC - History of Warlincourt Halte British Cemetery (extract): 'The site of the cemetery was chosen in May 1916. It was used from June 1916 to May 1917 by the 20th and 43rd Casualty Clearing Stations, in February 1917 by the 1/1st South Midland, and from April to June 1917 by the 32nd. The whole of plots VII, VIII, IX and X were filled in April and May 1917, the months of the Battles of Arras. From June 1917, the cemetery was practically unused until the fighting of May and June 1918, when field ambulances buried in it. After the Armistice the cemetery was increased by graves brought in from the following small military cemeteries [listed].' (www.cwgc.org)
CWGC Additional information: 'Son of Thomas and Hannah Slack, of 34, Rosemary St., Mansfield, Notts. Born At Sutton-In-Ashfield' CWGC headstone personal inscription: 'Dearer to memory than words can tell' Mansfield Reporter, ‘Roll of Honour,’ 9 March 1917: ‘Mr and Mrs T Slack and Sons, Clare Villas, Rosemary-street, wish to thank their many friends for the kind expressions of sympathy in their sad bereavement.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
