Edward Baty and family

Memorial plaque

Saskatoon Footballers’ Memorial

Jean Longstaff has submitted the following:-

Born in Dudley, Northumberland on 13th August 1888 and baptized in Gosforth Parish Church, Edward was the second son of railway fireman William Baty from Waskerley and his wife Sarah (nee Giles) of Blackhill. They had married in Clayton Street Congregational Church in 1879 and their first child named after his father was born two years later in Dudley. Their third son Robert, known as Bertie, was born in July 1890 in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, whilst his father was working as the station master there. The family returned to England in 1891 and in 1893 father William sailed for Canada to be joined in September 1894 by Sarah and the three boys in Portage de la Prairie, Manitoba where their daughter Violet Grace was born in 1896.

The 1901 Canadian census shows both father and oldest son William working, whilst the two younger boys were at school. Moving to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in 1906 Edward found work as a manufacturing jeweller and in 1913 he married Londoner Dorothy Howland in Edmonton, Alberta and returned to Saskatoon where their children were born; Richard in 1914, and Roberta, known as Bobby in December 1915. Press reports list Edward as an early supporter of the Daylight Saving Scheme, but Saskatchewan was the only province in Canada that did not adopt it.

After the death of his brother Robert at Festubert in 1915 Edward mobilized for officer training with the 29th (Light Horse) Militia Regiment with the Saskatoon Star reporting in May 1916 that he was attending the Winnipeg School of Instruction. In February 1917 he was appointed to 149th (Lambton’s) Battalion in London, Ontario, and although they sailed to England the following month, Edward was granted leave of absence and did not go with them.

In April he was appointed to 2nd Divisional Cyclists’ Company in Toronto and sailed with them on board the SS Justicia arriving in Liverpool in mid May and a posting to Chiseldon, near Swindon, Wiltshire. After eleven months in England he was posted to France with the 8th (Winnipeg Rifles) Battalion as part of the 2nd Infantry Brigade, 1st Canadian Division, joining them at St. Aubin, northwest of Arras, on 3rd June 1918.

On 9th August 1918, near Caix, France he was wounded during an attack on the Caix-les-Quesnel Road near Amiens. While his wound was being treated, he was shot in the stomach by an enemy sniper and instantly killed.

Thanks to Edward’s granddaughter Jeanna for her help with family history and photographs.

Edward Baty’s name does not appear on any local war memorial.

In Canada he is remembered on their Virtual War Memorial and in their Book of Remembrance, and in Saskatoon on the Saskatchewan Footballers Association Memorial.

Canadian Book of Remembrance
Canadian Virtual Memorial
The CWGC entry for Lieutenant Baty