WW1 Edward Walter Asprey

Edward Walter Asprey 1894 - 1948

Edward Walter Asprey was born on the 1st September 1894. His parents were James Arthur and Elizabeth Jane Asprey, nee Jounquay. At the time of Edward’s birth, the family were living at 4 Gordon Terrace, Norfolk Road, in Rickmansworth.

He was baptised on the 23rd December at St Mary’s Church, Rickmansworth and possibly began his education at Parsonage Road Infants’ School, in Rickmansworth.

According to the census, sometime before 1901 James, Elizabeth and the family moved to 217 New Road, Croxley Green. Edward was 6 years old and the ninth child in the family. Children living in Croxley Green started as infants in Yorke Road School. At approximately 7 years old boys would transfer to the Boys’ school in the Watford Road while the girls stayed on at Yorke Road School.

On Saturday 20th June 1908 The West Herts and Watford Observer newspaper reported on the Annual Industrial Exhibition, held at the Dickinson Institute, New Road, Croxley Green, on the 13th June. Edward had gained 2nd place in a competition for the under 15 year old age group, for a Pencil sketch.

The 1911 census entry records that Edward, aged 16, was employed as an apprenticed engineer fitter at the John Dickinson mill.

Following the outbreak of WW1 in 1914 Edward enlisted as Sapper 1040 in the Royal Engineers Territorial Army. He was posted on the 19th January 1915 to serve initially in France. Records show he was promoted to 551079 A/2 CPL.

Edward in his uniform

Taken from the All Saints Parish Magazine for October 1915 Edward and his brother Henry David Asprey are mentioned.

Well done Croxley !! (From the Territorial Service Gazette) 3rd London Field Company, Royal Engineers,--- In the last list of awards of the Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry on active service appeared the name of Lieut. Denys Max Thompson Morland, of the above company, who according to the official announcement “On May 25th at Givenchy, accompanied a London battalion in an assault on the German trenches, and finding the entrance of a mine, exploded it alone, making prisoners of eighteen Germans who were hiding in it “ A member of the- company writes to testify to the bravery and popularity of Lieut. Morland, adding that “ he is an officer whom any soldier would follow with pride” It may not be generally known that two of the- sappers of the company were selected from five volunteers to go with the gallant officer on his hazardous task, they being No 1039 H. D. Asprey and his brother, No 1040 E. W. Asprey, all three of them coming safely out of the danger zone.

The following year in the Parish Magazine for September 1916 Corporal Edward Asprey has arrived at a hospital in Cheshire suffering from a damaged foot caused by a falling tree while in action.

From his active service in France and convalescence, Edward was transferred, according to the London Gazette for the 6th May 1917 edition. It states Edward gained a commission as 551079, Second Lieutenant Edward Asprey,

Memorabilia kept by Edward shows his name on a menu card dated 6/11/17, as well as names of possible fellow companions, which suggests he was on board His Majesty’s Troopship (H.M.T.) Kashmir heading for the North African Mediterranean area and Egypt.
The H.M.T. Kashmir was built on the Clyde in Scotland on behalf of the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company, and launched in 1915. It was intended as a cargo liner for its Far East routes, especially for the Indian region of Kashmir. However, it was requisitioned by the Admiralty in December 1916 for service as a troopship, serving first in the Mediterranean and then in the North Atlantic

Menu Card

When Edward arrived he was given a document dated 9/11/1917 with orders to travel the following day.
This document is commanding Edward to proceed as part of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force in the Sidi Gaber district of Alexandria assisting with the 521st London Field Company (L.F.C.). From the times shown, Edward had very little time to act on these orders and arrive in time for the designated train departure!
9/11/17 Mustapha
To 2nd Lieut E. W. Asprey R.E.
Please note that you proceed tomorrow Saturday 10th Inst ex Sidi Gaber per the 15:41 train to report to O/C 521st (Lon) Field Coy R.E.
Kit will be collected at 14:30
Documents at GBD15:00
For your information and compliance

Edward's instructions for travelling

The 521st L.F.C. was formed in the early part of the war and between 1914-1918 all the Royal Engineers Company’s capabilities and skills were heavily relied on. Without them there would have been little or no supplies sent to the army fighting on the front line. They maintained the transport and operated the railways and roads as well as building bridges. Communications were essential. The skills of the Engineers were required to keep telephones, wireless and other signalling equipment in working order. Maintaining front line fortifications that gave cover for the artillery was also part of their role, as well as maintaining the guns and weapons.
The Expeditionary Force in the Middle East was first formed on the 10th March 1916, under the command of General Archibald Murray until it was taken over by General Sir Edmund Allenby who had initially served on the Western Front in Europe.
See also for further information
www.longlongtrail.co.uk › battles › the-campaign
http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/order-of-battle-of-divisions/60th-division/
As the war progressed, further information regarding Edward’s WW1 movements are currently unknown, as his service documents have not been possible to trace. Many of the WW1 service documents were lost in the London bombing raids of WW2. However, progress is being made in preserving those that were damaged and partly burnt but can still be handled. They are slowly being copied as more sophisticated scanning equipment becomes available.
His actual record cards have been obtained and loaned for the website.

Edward Walter Asprey - Record Card

It is known that Edward returned safely to Croxley Green; his release record card in December 1920 shows his address, Dunsmore, 217 New Road, Croxley Green, Herts.

A number of photographs were taken whilst Edward was in service and have been loaned by Jack Robson for the website. These were not identified as to which war they were associated with but one image shows a Holt Artillery Tractor. This type of equipment was first built by the Holt Manufacturing Company of Stockton, California, USA and named after the company founder Benjamin Holt. Built for hauling heavy artillery equipment it was ideal for use in the desert conditions. It was widely used in WW1 by the British, French and American armies. As the war progressed they were built in Britain by Rushton & Hornsby in Lincoln, a company known for building the Sopwell Camel aeroplanes for WW1.
Some of the images show how the army was supported by the Egyptian Camel Transport Corps. Between 1916 and the end of the campaign in 1918, 170,000 Egyptian volunteers with their 72,500 camels transported water, as well as food and medical supplies, to the British front.

Holt Artillery Tractor

Holt Artillery being hauled

Tents providing shelter from the mid day heat

Inside a Garrison

Arabs and camels maybe

Evidence of road building

Showing the terrain

Bridge building

An Arab Family

Group Photo

Other family members also served in WW1 including Edward’s older brother David Henry, 1039/ 550178, a Corporal also in the Royal Engineers. James Alfred Cpl 33432 Bedford Regiment, and Ernest William, who served with the British Red Cross Overseas Volunteers, as an Orderly in France.

Edward married Adeline Constance Satureley on 15th January 1919. She was 20 years old, the daughter of George and Emily Satureley. She was born on 25th August 1898 at 22 Park Road, Battersea, London.

By means of the Census, Electoral Rolls and Voters lists, we are able to follow Edward and his family. The first of these is the 1921 census taken on 19th June, which records Edward, Adeline and their son James Frederick Courteney, 11 months, born 28th June 1920 in Hampstead, London. They were visitors at the home of James and Georgina Wannacott, 30, Wonford Road, Exeter and their young family.

This census also has details of Edward’s employment. He is still attached to the Royal Engineers and under ‘Employment ‘ this is shown as the Secretary of State for War located at South Barracks, Exeter.

The following year according to the Electoral/Voters list the family have moved back to Croxley Green and are living at 6, Gonville Terrace, Watford Road. But the London Gazette, which records his service with the Territorial Army, shows Edward and his family were soon on the move. In 1924 they were at 36 Clonmel Road, Teddington , but by 1930 they were at 6 Church Row, Hatfield. It is unclear how long the family were living at each address. In the 1931 edition for the London Gazette it states that Edward had been Clerk of the Works for Hertfordshire County Council (based in Hertford) since 1927 which might suggest they moved around that time to nearby Hatfield.
In the same year Edward’s name appears in the records of Civil Servants as having joined on 30th June 1931. Later editions of the Gazette makes it clear that Edward now has connections with the Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield. He is listed as Principal Foreman, Clerk of the Works at Enfield Lock. The family has moved again to 47 Government Row, Enfield Lock.

Enfield Lock is located in the Lea Valley and was a U.K. Government-owned small arms factory that manufactured many famous British Army weapons in the 19th and 20th centuries, including the Lee-Enfield rifles. These were standard equipment issued in WW1and WW2. The factory produced many other military weapons, especially the Bren and Sten automatic submachine guns that would eventually be used in WW2.
Edward’s background and expertise in the Royal Engineers during WW1 would have most likely have given him the necessary qualifications for supervising mass production of military equipment. The close by Lee Valley Navigation System was a route to the River Thames and London that could carry weapons of this kind in safety. The houses were originally built for the workers when the factory was first built.

On Sunday 3rd September 1939 at 11am, Neville Chamberlain, the British Prime Minister, announced on the BBC radio that Great Britain was now at war with Germany. Later that month the Government declared that a register should be taken on 29th September to record everyone in the U.K. This register was designed to establish the civilian population numbers and eventually be used to produce Identity Cards and Ration Books.

On Sunday 3rd September 1939, Edward’s name appears as a visitor staying in the Angel Hotel, Cardiff, as a Quantity Surveyor and also listed as Captain R.E.

Edward during WW2

Edward also served in WW2. A photograph loaned by Jack Robson shows Edward in uniform and in the Middle East once more. However, once again his war records with more details have not been possible to trace.

Following the end of WW2 Edward is shown to have been in Plymouth, Devon, in 1948 where on the 7th March he passed away in the Prince of Wales Hospital.

The All Saints Church Parish Magazine for April 1948 posted the following article regarding Edward including his connections with the village in his younger days.

In Memoriam Edward Walter Asprey, departed this life March 7th 1948, aged 53 years. Born in Croxley Green, the late Mr. Asprey was the youngest of a large family, all of whom survive him, closely connected with this Church. A chorister during the incumbency of Mr. Donnell, he was brought up by faithful Church parents to an appreciation of the Sacra- ments and worship of t he Church. He was confirmed in All Saints and was a regular Com- municant for many years, never losing the habits of prayer and worship inculcated in his home. As a member of All Saints’ Church Lads Brigade he learnt the benefits of disapline and esprit-de-corps which stood him in good stead during his service in two Great Wars. A t the time of his death he was assisting in the reconstruction of Plymouth which suffered so badly from enemy air raids. His family can be assured of our prayers and sympathy n their unexpected and sudden loss. We commend him to the God of Love jn the- certain knowledge that He Who began a good work in him will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.

Adeline passed away in 1965 in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, and their son James in 1994 in Henley, South Oxfordshire.

Information provided by-
Jack Robson
All Saints Church Croxley Green Parish Magazines
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