Edward Vernon Townsend Hall
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Edward Vernon Townsend Hall was born in 1890 at Doncaster he was the son of the late Rosina Hall born 1865 Austersfield, she died in 1906 aged 41 yrs, she married Charles Pettit a widow in 1902 at Doncaster, Edward had a sister Edith Hall who lived at 19 Regent Street Balby Doncaster. In the 1911 census he lived with Charles Pettit a widower and farm labourer to whom Edward was a half- son. At this time he was a lance corporal in the 2nd Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment. His service record contains a letter from his fiancée Mollie Palmer who wrote from her address at Keithley on 2nd May 1915 to the army , stating that she had heard that Private Edward Hall number 9674 D Company York and Lancaster Regiment had been killed in action on 11th April 1915 but had not heard officially and was seeking confirmation.
He joined the Army on 9th December 1909 at Doncaster and had a medical on 30th December 1909 at Pontefract, he gave his address as the parish of St Judes in Doncaster and that he was a labourer and was 19 years and 8 months of age. He gave his next of kin as his sister Edith Hall of 19 Regent Street Balby, Doncaster. He former employer George Hodgson wrote him a reference on joining up. He served with the York and Lancaster regiment and served at home between 9th December 1909 and 27th February 1912, from 28th February to 8th November 1914 he served in India and then returned to serve at home from 9th November 1914 until 14th January 1915 at which time he went to France. On the 11th April 1915 he was killed in action at Zonnede near Ypres.Writing to his aunt Emily Peck who was care of Mrs S Palmer Ivy Cottage,School Hill, Bawtry Captain G H Wedgewood wrote :- Dear Mrs Peck I am sorry to have to inform you that Edward Hall was killed in the trenches last Sunday. His end was painless as he was shot clean through the head.We are all very sorry to miss him as he was a very popular man in his platoon and a very good soldier too. He was buried close to our headquarters with 3 others of the company killed on the same day. Yours truly R H Wedgewood Captain officer Commanding D Company. His fiancée also received a letter from the same officer saying how sorry he was to lose Private Hall as he was a good soldier and a nice quiet man.
He is commemorated on the Menin Gate memorial in Belgium.
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