NER Railway Magazine 1915
Index Card Mentioned in Dispatches
Newcastle Chronicle Tuesday 03/11/1914
Dorothy Hall and Brenda McMahon have submitted the following:-
Edward the son of John and Mary Baty was born at Hexham in 1886. In 1891 the family were at Gilesgate Bank Hexham. John died in 1891 and Mary died in 1898.
In the 1901 census Edward is a boarder with Fred and Jane Thompson of Middle Road Gateshead. Edward was working as a Pony Driver.
Edward worked as a casual gangman from October 1906, for 10 months for North Eastern Railway Company at Bensham, Gateshead. He joined the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants in 1906.
On the 14th August 1907, Edward, a reservist enlisted and joined the Coldstream Guards. He was in Egypt before returning to the UK. In 1911 Edward is at the barracks of the 3rd Coldstream Guards at Whitechapel London. Alan Grint in his book The Faith and The Fire Within says that Edward was known in the Guards as a good boxer and also a strong swimmer.
When war broke out 4th August 1914, the Coldstream Guards were already mobilising their troops so within 1 week (ie 12th August), Edward was disembarking to France.
Edward was Mentioned in Despatches. Only 6 weeks later, he died 21st September 1914 from his wounds, this was complicated by the onset of pneumonia and is buried in Soupir Churchyard, which holds only 36 Commonwealth War Graves. Edward was the first Hexham casualty. In his will Edward left his effects to his brother John.
Edward Baty is remembered at Hexham on H51.06 and in the Gateshead Roll of Honour where his name is spelled Batey G39.004 and the North Eastern Railway Company War Memorial at York.
