Able Seaman Edwin Wallace Gange

Edwin Wallace Gange was born on December 30, 1893 to Edwin senior (a gardener) and Sarah Ann Gange, in Chislehurst, Kent. He had two older sisters, Lizzie Adeline and Ellen Sarah, and a younger sister, Eva Emma. The family lived at Alberta Gardener’s Cottage in Wimbledon in 1901, which appeared to be part of a larger Alberta Grange (which also included a main house and stables), owned by a barrister, who was presumably Edwin senior’s employer.

Edwin junior joined the Royal Navy in December 1909, initially serving on the Impregnable. He was serving on the Essex at the time of the 1911 census. He had brown hair and brown eyes, and was 5’6”. He married Mabel Butcher in October 1915, in Portsmouth. Edwin died after joining the Submarine E24 in March 1916, when it was sunk off Harwich. He had a son, also called Edwin Wallace, who was born in late 1916/early 1917 after Edwin had died. Edwin Wallace Jr. joined the RAF during WWII, and was himself killed in 1941.

It is believed that the E24 was on a minelaying exercise when she was herself blown up by a mine. There was an indication of mine damage found when the submarine was raised from the sea bed off Heligoland in July 1974. 25 sailors whose remains were recovered from the vessel are now buried in Hamburg cemetery. As none of these sailors were identified it is impossible to know if Edwin’s remains are among them.

At the time of his death Edwin’s wife Mabel was living at 9, Holloway St., Canal Walk, Landport, Portsmouth. His father was living at The Cottage, Atherton Grange, Somerset Rd., Wimbledon.

Edwin is remembered on a brass tablet at Raynes Park Methodist Church and on the Portsmouth War Memorial.