EDEN John William

John was probably a regular soldier, one of the “Old Contemptibles” who went with his regiment to France at the outbreak of war. He lost his life in action the following year.

John Eden was born and baptised in Blockley in 1890; his father was a labourer. John was at home in Blockley in 1891 and 1901 census. In 1911 his father entered him on the census form but the entry was subsequently crossed through. He did the same for John’s 12-year-old brother George Martin. He is probably be the Martin Eden, of the correct age and born in Blockley, who appears in the census as an “inmate” at Harborne Industrial School for Boys at Sellyoak, Birmingham – a type of Approved School. His father seems to have entered the names of his two sons on the form in the mistaken belief that he had to list the members of his family, even those absent.

John has not yet been found elsewhere in the 1911 census. Perhaps he was a soldier. This would be consistent with the fact that he was already a member of the 1st Battalion of the North Staffordshire Regiment when it deployed to France soon after war was declared in 1914. Until then the battalion had been in Ireland.

John’s personal documentation has not survived but there are other documents. He enlisted at an unknown date at Tamworth in Staffordshire, his residence still given as Blockley. He was a private in his battalion and landed with them at St Nazaire in France in September 1914, some six weeks after the beginning of the war. His medals card shows that he received the 1914 Star with clasp, and that he was thus one of the “Old Contemptibles”.

His parents, Martin who was born at Blockley and Mary who was born at nearby Bourton on the Hill, had moved to Stratford-on-Avon by the time, post-war, that John’s record in the listing of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission was created. His father is probably the Martin Eden who died in the Upton-on-Severn district in 1952, aged 86.

John had two brothers. George, born in 1898, would have qualified for war service, but it has not been possible to isolate any documents for him among those for the many soldiers bearing his name. Thomas Edward, born in 1904, would have been too young for war service.

From his Medal Index Card:
John William Eden, 1st Battalion Staffordshire Regiment, Private, 9883. Awarded the British War Medal, the
Victory medal and the 1914 Star with clasp. Disembarked in France on 10th September 1914. Killed in action on 18th August 1915.
Added 22nd June 1921: OIC Records, Lichfield forwards Roll of deceased men whose next-of-kin are entitled to 1914 clasps.

From Soldiers’ Effects:
John William Eden
1st Bn, N Staffordshire regt, Private, 9883
died 18/8/15, Ypres
7 pounds 7s 7d to mother Martin (sic) sole legatee
5 pounds 10s 0d War Gratuity to mother Mary Anne, sole legatee