1st Battalion, Royal Devonshire Regiment
Edgar Daniel Lindsey was born at Chelsea, London in the first half of 1896. He was baptised on 5 July 1896 at World’s End, St John’s Church.
He was one of nine children born to George Lindsey (who was working as a stage hand in 1911) and his wife Amelia. At the time of the 1911 Census the family was living at 156 Lots Road, Chelsea and Edgar was shown as a ‘printer machine boy’. Later his parents went to live at 17 Dartrey Road, Chelsea.
Unfortunately, no Army Service Record has survived for Private Lindsey. However, his Medal Index Card does state that he first went abroad, to France, on 28 July 1915.
His headstone states that he was ‘wounded in France on 25 September 1916’. On this date, as part of the Somme Offensive, the 1st Devons were involved in an attack on Morval, when 40% casualties were suffered during an assault on Bovril and Mince Trenches. It is highly likely that Private Lindsey was one of the casualties.
His wounds no doubt necessitated a return to the UK and he ended up at Standish House Red Cross Hospital. In the days before antibiotics infected wounds often proved very difficult to treat and it was not unusual for casualties to die from their wounds long after they were sustained.
Edgar Lindsey died at the above hospital on 25 October 1917, aged 21. He was buried in Standish (St Nicholas) Churchyard two days later. A private stone cross was erected over his grave.
Researched by Graham Adams 11 May 2018