Private Edward Michael Haydon

Edward was born in Kingston upon Thames in early 1882. His parents were Joseph Haydon and Matilda Dandy an Irish woman born in Kilkenny. By 1901 Edward and Matilda were living at 34 Canbury Passage, Kingston. He was working as a furniture salesman and may have been supporting his mother, whom the census describes as deaf. His father is not listed at the address, so may have died or been living elsewhere by this time.

Edward married Merton-born Louise Chamberlain, at St. Saviour’s Church, Raynes Park in March 1911. The couple moved to 174 Shakespeare Crescent, Manor Park, East Ham and had a son, also named Edward, later that year.

With the outbreak of war, Edward M. Haydon enlisted in the 8th Battalion of the Berkshire Regiment. He later transferred to the 2nd Battalion of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Wiltshire Regiment. By spring 1917 the battalion was based near Arras, France. On 9 April it attacked the Hindenburg line, a major German defensive position linking Arras to Laffaux. Edward was killed during the assault. Very few of the British troops reached their objective and those who did, found the German wire surrounding the position undamaged, despite an earlier Allied bombardment. By 11 April the battalion had lost 16 officers, plus a further 363 men from the ranks.

Edward was buried at Wancourt British Cemetery, south east of Arras ( Grave reference 5 G 16.) He is also commemorated at St. Saviour’s Church, Raynes Park. Louisa Haydon later remarried but her husband George Tarryer died in 1941, leaving her a widow for the second time. She spent her later years living at 20 Seaforth Avenue, New Malden.