EDGAR, Thomas

War
1st World War
Date of Birth
Date Attested
Attested at
Camp Niagara, Niagara on the Lake, Ontario
Regimental Number
46573
Rank
Private
Date of Death
Age at Death
20 years 1 month
Biographical Summary

DIVISIONAL UNIT:        1st Canadian Infantry Division
                                             3rd Infantry Brigade
                                             15th Battalion  -  48th Highlanders of Canada
                                             Company 3
                                             Canadian Infantry Corps
SERVICE NO:                   46573
DATE OF BIRTH:            December 4, 1895
                                             Cumberland - England
DATE OF DEATH:           January 11, 1916                  20 years     1 month
CEMETERY:                     La Plus Douve Farm Cemetery – Comines-Warneton – 
                                             Hainaut – Belgium
                                             VI     A     
 PARENTS:                        Mr. Robert and Martha Edgar – Seaforth – Ontario
Occupation:                        Iron Worker                         Religion:     Church of England
Enlistment:                         Niagara Camp – May 31, 1915
Enlistment Age:                 19 years     5 months

Private Edgar transferred to his Battalion in September of 1915 and joined them in the field on September 8th.
Private Edgar was killed in action near Ploegsteert in Belgium.
On January 11th the weather began fine but cool and at the noon hour it clouded over with the winds being from the north-west.
It was quiet on the Battalion front until 4:40 pm just when the relief was to begin when the enemy began a heavy bombardment onto the front and supporting trenches. Once casualty was suffered at this time. Our artillery replied and the enemy guns became silenced.
The 16th Battalion finished relieving the 15th Battalion at 7:30 pm. Patrols had been out every night during the past week and these patrols had “no mans land” all to themselves. It was thought the enemy facing us had in all likelihood been relieved and it was still very quiet from the Christmas period.
Our research from his files, the Battalion and Brigade diaries tell us this is where Private Edgar lost his life in action performing his duties, and it turns out that he was the only casualty suffered by the Battalion on this day.