Edward Samuel Castleton

A Lance Corporal with the 1/4th Battalion, Edward died on 19th of June 1916 at the age of 20. 

Edward was born at Lowestoft on 21 October 1895, a son of Samuel Edward and Louisa Margaret Castleton. He was baptised at Christchurch, Lowestoft, on 4 December 1895, and his family lived at 20 Lawson Road, Lowestoft, and this would be Edward’s home for the whole of his life. In 1911 he worked as a bricklayer’s apprentice. 

Edward enlisted in the Army at Lowestoft. He joined the Suffolk Regiment, service number 3556. In 1916 he was posted to the 1/4th Battalion in France. 

On 19 June 1916 the 1/4th Battalion were in trenches in the Givenchy Sector. At 8.10 p.m. Royal Engineers exploded a small mine in front of B Company’s line. The men immediately began consolidating this feature, with little resistance, but between 10 and 11 p.m. there was a considerable enemy bombardment from artillery and minenwerfers. Several men from C and B Company were buried and had to be rescued. 

Samuel was the only soldier killed during this incident.