Edward Shipley's Story.
EARLY LIFE
Edward Shipley Wells was born in Heaton Norris, Stockport in 1893, the son of Sarah Jane (nee Shipley, born Macclesfield) and Edward Parry Wells, a commercial clerk. In 1901, Edward and his mother were living at 54 Hale Street, Warrington while Edward's father was lodging in Reddish on census night.
By 1911 Edward and his mother had moved to 134 Brailsford Road, Fallowfield, Manchester, and Edward, who was known in the family as Teddy, was working as an invoice clerk.
MILITARY SERVICE
Edward enlisted in Stockport with the 12th Battalion of the Cheshire Regiment with service number 34736. He was later attached to the 9th Battalion of the South Lancashire Regiment and drafted to Salonika.
It is not known how and when Edward was wounded, but he died of wounds in Salonika on 17 May 1917; his death was announced in the Manchester Evening News on 6 June 1917:
Private E S Wells (Teddy), late of Cherry Tree Cottage, Heaton Chapel, died of wounds May 17th, 1917, age 24. Deeply regretted.
At the time of his death, Edward's mother was living at 142 Nelstrop Road, Heaton Chapel. Edward's father died in Stockport in 1918, and by 1919 his mother was living at 7 Daybrook Street, Macclesfield.
COMMEMORATION
Private Edward Wells is buried in grave ref. 1031 at Salonika (Lembet Road) Military Cemetery, Greece. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission holds casualty details for Private Edward Wells, and he is listed on the Imperial War Museum’s Lives of the First World War website.
Locally, Private Edward Wells is commemorated on the Macclesfield Park Green war memorial, and Hurdsfield Holy Trinity Church Roll of Honour.
Elsewhere, he is commemorated on the Stockport (Art Gallery) and Heaton Mersey war memorials.
SOURCES
GRO Birth Index
Census (England & Wales): 1901, 1911
WWI British Army Medal Rolls Index Cards (Ancestry)
WWI Service Medal and Award Rolls (Ancestry)
Lives of the First World War website
Commonwealth War Graves Commission website
WWI Pension Record Cards (Ancestry/Fold3/WFA)
Manchester Evening News: 6 June 1917
Carl's Cam Cheshire war memorial photos website (http://carlscam.com/)
Research by Rosie Rowley, Congleton.