Edward Henry Dobson

Soldier’s Details:

Born: 1895
Where: Hoxton, London, England
Died: Nov 9, 1914
Relation: Great Great Uncle (Half)

Enlisted: 1913 (not confirmed)
Married: No
Reg. #: 9487
Regiment: Lincolnshire Regiment, 1st Batt.
Rank: Lance-Corporal

View his Photo Gallery on Flickr
Read Stories about Edward Henry Dobson 

Timeline

August 1914
4 – War is declared. The 1st Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment is stationed in Portsmouth as part of the 9th Brigade, 3rd Division. At 6pm they are ordered to mobilize. According to the Regimental History “The ranks contained a large proportion of young soldiers whose service ranged from two weeks to two years.”
12 – Mobilization is completed.
13 – The 1st Lincolnshire depart Portsmouth by train and arrive in Southampton where they board the SS “Norman” and sail for France.
14 – The 1st Lincolnshire arrive in Le Harve and camp on a plateau above the town.
15 – The Battalion marches to the Le Harve railway station and board a train.
16 – They arrive in Landrecies and are billeted in the Dupleix Barracks.
18/19 – They march to new billets in Leval.
22 – They “march to Frameries in the general move forward on Mons”.
23 – They “marched off rapidly for a distance of three miles through cobbled streets along the road to Mons. They took up their position astride a long straight avenue which ran northwards to the centre of the town. Here they set to work to build barricades”. The Battle of Mons begins and ends in retreat for the Allies.
26 – The Battle of Le Cateau begins and the Lincolnshire took up a line just outside the village of Inchy. The German attack drives them back to the village of Clary.
27 – The retreat continues for two days and involves a relentless march of over 40 miles with little rest and no food. The Lincolnshire finally reach Crissoles on the evening of the 28th where they found a meal and a few hours sleep.
30 – The Lincolnshire march 25 miles and across the Aisne River, to billets in Ressons.

September 1914 (details to provided in near future)
7 – The Battle of the Marne begins
10 – The Battle of the Marne ends
12 – The First Battle of the Aisne begins
15 – The First Battle of the Aisne ends
16 – Trench warfare begins and the 1st Lincolnshire enter the trenches

October 1914 (details to provided in near future)
10 – The Battle of La Bassre, Armentieres and Messines begins
19 – First Battle of Ypres begins

November 1914
2 – The Battle of La Bassre, Armentieres and Messines ends
7 – The 1st Lincolnshire relieve the 6th Calvary Brigade in the trenches just south of the Menin Road, about 1.5 miles east of Hooge. The Regimental History states “Throughout the 8th, 9th and 10th the Lincolnshire were subjected to heavy shell-fire and infantry attacks by the enemy, and although the former took toll of the Battalion, every attempt of the Germans to advance their line failed and they were repulsed with heavy losses. On the 8th the battalion lost one other rank killed and eleven wounded; on 9th 2nd Lieutenant Torr and eight other ranks were wounded; no casualties are given for the 10th November.”
9 – Edward Henry Dobson is killed in action. He has no known grave and so his name joins 54,895 others on the Menin Gate in Ypres. Note: it’s possible that the soldier referred to in the quote above was Edward and that the date of Nov. 8th is incorrect but more research is required.
22 – First Battle of Ypres ends