Edward's Story.
Edward Denton Gordon (Pte./Sapper)
St Marys Weaverham “Roll of Honour” records an E. Gordon. (Cheshirebmd records an Edward D. Gordon born in 1889 in Weaverham District. The only Edward in Cheshire West.)
The 1901 census has an Edward D. Gordon living with the Redford family on Copy Hold Weaverham, he is recorded as “Step Son”. Robert Redford, Head, aged 36, Labourer, Chemical, born Pendleton Lancs.; Wife Margaret, aged 32, born Scotland; then Edward D. Gordon, St. Son, born Weaverham; followed by William T. aged 5, Robert aged 2 then Lilias aged 1, all born in Weaverham. (Robert and William T also enlisted and will be completed under their Redford names.)
Cheshirebmd records the marriage of Robert Redford and Margaret Gordon in the years 1891/1895 at St. Mary’s Weaverham.
The links from the census take you to Edward below and his Regimental Nos. The search of the Service Records using just Weaverham brought up an Edward Denton Gordon, he joined at Northwich on the 1st Sept. 1914 and his engagement “reckons” from that date. He was born 1890, age 24yrs 10m when he enlisted, he stood 5ft 4.5ins tall, weight 136lb, with girth of 34in, complexion, fresh, eyes blue and hair brown. Edward’s “calling” was Stoker. There is ref. to the 10th Bn. when posted Private on the 15/9/14, Appointed L/Cpl. 8/1/15, joined Exp. Force, France 26/9/15, reverts back to Private on his own request 11/2/16. Edward was in hospital for 2 months, from Sept. 1916, with G.S.W. the hospital is recorded as the Wharncliffe Military Hospital at Sheffield.
He transferred to the Royal Engineers 6/6/17, with the Inland Waterways & Docks, Sandwich Kent, sapper. Edward was awarded British, Victory and 15 Star medals. There was an address of 3 Beach Road Weaverham. His dispersal document, dated 23rd March 1919 has an address of Acton Bridge.
N.A.M.C. - have a card for a Gordon, Edward D., Cheshire Reg’t. No. 13754 Rank Private; Royal Engineers WR350136 Sapper; Royal Engineers 298397 Sapper. Awarded the 15 Star, British and Victory medals, Theatre of War not addressed, Date of Entry 27th Sept. 1915.
Northwich Guardian 1916, 9th June (P5/C5); WEAVERHAM MAN’S BRAVE ACT. MESSAGE CARRYING UNDER SHELL FIRE.
There is another addition to the list of Weaverham casualties amongst the men of the Cheshire Regiment, Lance-Corporal Eddie Gordon having been wounded in action. He is a native of Acton Bridge and a married man. During the heavy engagement in which the regiment played such an heroic part, Gordon was shot through the left thumb when taking a message to his officer.
COMPLIMENTED BY THE CAPTAIN
Writing from ---- Hospital to his mother on May 24th Lance-Corporal Gordon states:- “I was wounded on Sunday afternoon (May 20th) when I was going with a message for our captain to our outpost line. I took three other messages after I had been hit and the captain complimented me and said I should be recommended. I am sorry to say he was killed just afterwards and so I shall not get anything now. Never mind I am lucky to have come out alive as we have had an awful lot of fighting since we came here. Joe Shallcross and Tom Yoxall have been killed and Gregory and Percy Johnson are wounded. Percy and I came down together. He is not serious and I hope he will soon be right again. I got a bullet through my left thumb. It is painful but I am going on all right and in the best of spirits. How the other chaps from Weaverham have fared I cannot say. I only hope they have come out as lucky as I. Albert Sagle (Question Sagle as this name does not bring up a medal card.) is in this hospital but he will soon be all right. The nurses are fine and we get splendid food.”
HOW PRIVATE YOXALL WAS KILLED.
HOW PRIVATE YOXALL WAS KILLED.
In a letter dated May 13th, also sent to his mother, Lance-Corporal Gordon describes how he was standing talking to Private Yoxall, another Weaverham man, when the latter was killed by a trench mortar, along with two other men. Yoxall’s photograph and an account of his death was published in last Friday’s “Guardian.” (See Yoxall details.)
The letter reads;- “I am getting on fairly well, though my thumb is still rather painful. The weather here is very nice and we are only a mile from the sea. I was with Tom Yoxall when he was killed. He had only just been talking to me about Joe Shallcross and a trench mortar came and killed him and two more and wounded another one. It buried them all but I managed to get the one who was wounded out. It was a terrible job as he was fast under the other three and the enemy were firing at me all the time. We were only 40 yards from them and I was glad when I succeeded in getting them out. It took me half an hour as I couldn’t get help. I don’t expect he will ever forget it, I know I shall not. The chaps came and shook hands with me afterwards and one said it was the finest thing he had ever seen. Some men are lucky and get rewards for this kind of work but our captain has been killed and so I get nothing.” Lance-Corporal Gordon is a smart athlete and before joining the Colours he was a member of Northwich Harriers being a fine long distance runner.
Cheshirebmd also records the marriage of Edward D. Gordon and Elizabeth Vaughan in 1915 at Northwich. The 1921 census records the Edward Gordon’s family living at Acton, taken as Acton Bridge as Edward works at The Weaver Refining Company, he is aged 30yrs 7m; wife Elizabeth and two children.
Research Bob H.