5438517 Lance Serjeant Ernest Daniel EDLIN, BEM, 2nd Bn. Suffolk Regiment: 25/01/1944

CL1 · Jan 25, 2018

Remembering Today

Casualty Details | CWGC
Lance Serjeant EDLIN, ERNEST DANIEL
Service Number 5438517
Awards: B E M
2nd Bn. Suffolk Regiment
Died 25/01/1944
Aged 36
Commemorated at RANGOON MEMORIAL
Memorial Reference: Face 7.
Location: Myanmar
Additional Info: Son of Frederick Charles and Florence Edlin; husband of Helena Fanny Edlin, of Knaphill, Surrey.

Mr Jinks · Jan 25, 2018

Woking County Grammar School for Boys: Roll of Honour: Ernest Edlin

Lance Sergeant E. D. Edlin BEM
2nd Bn. Suffolk Regt.
5438517
Killed in action, 25 January 1944, India. Aged 37.
______________________________________________________

Ernest Daniel Edlin was born in Woking in 1907. His father Charles was a butcher from Harefield in Middlesex and his mother Florence was from Windsor. Ernest had an older brother (Frederick) and two older sisters (Ethel and Gladys), another sibling died in infancy. In 1911 the family lived at Melbourne Villas, Ellen (?) Street, Woking.

At the outbreak of war the 2nd Bn. Suffolk Regt. were posted to Mhow in India. They spent much of the next three years on policing duties. Over this period the regiment was severely depleted in numbers, firstly due to illness (more than half the battalion contracted malaria) and secondly as men, keen to see some action, asked to be transferred to front line units such as the 151st Parachute Battalion.

Ernest was awarded the BEM in 1941 for gallantry.

In October 1943 the battalion was finally on the move. They sailed from Madras aboard the SS Ethiopia bound for Chittagong (in what is now Bangladesh) and then marched for a week to Waybin in modern day NE India.

On 24 January 1944 the 2nd Battalion attacked a Japanese outpost that had been giving them sporadic trouble since the beginning of the month. At first they were driven back by machine gun fire from previously unlocated bunkers, together with mortar fire and grenades. After four days of fighting the battalion eventually took the position and managed to dig in but continued attacks from nearby outposts forced them to withdraw soon after. Ernest died on the second day of fighting.

The circumstances surrounding his British Empire medal are a little confusing. He is noted as BEM on his Commonwealth War Graves Commission entry yet the only Edlin gazetted as receiving a BEM between 1930 and 1946 is Ernest Edlin, a fitter at Vickers Armstrongs Ltd. in December 1944.

Ernest Edlin has no known grave and is remembered on the Rangoon Memorial, Myanmar (face 7) and on the Woking County Grammar School roll of honour located in Christ Church, Woking.
Click to expand...

Kyle

alieneyes · Jan 25, 2018

From the website quoted by Kyle:

The circumstances surrounding his British Empire medal are a little confusing. He is noted as BEM on his Commonwealth War Graves Commission entry yet the only Edlin gazetted as receiving a BEM between 1930 and 1946 is Ernest Edlin, a fitter at Vickers Armstrongs Ltd. in December 1944.

On 9 July 1941, Edlin was a gunner on a merchant fishing vessel when he put 130 rounds into a Germanbomber causing it to crash into the sea.

Citation is on the second attachment. Gazetted 20 January 1942.

harkness · Jan 25, 2018

"Son of Frederick Charles and Florence Edlin; husband of Helena Fanny Edlin, of Knaphill, Surrey."

Parents:
Name: Frederick Charles Edlin
Marriage Age: 24
Birth Date: abt 1875
Marriage Date: 25 Nov 1899
Marriage Place: St Matthew, West Kensington, Hammersmith and Fulham, England
Spouse: Florence Annie Mary Weedon

Name: Ernest Daniel Edlin
Baptism Date: 17 Nov 1907
Baptism Place: Woking, Christ Church, Surrey, England
Father: Frederick Charles Edlin
Mother: Florence Annie Mary Edlin

1939 REGISTER TRANSCRIPTION
Old Kings Head, Knapp Hill Road, Bagshot R.D., Surrey
NAME DOB OCCUPATION
Charles Edlin 1 Jul 1870 Beerhouse Retailer Of Beer
Florence A M Edlin 11 May 1880 Unpaid Domestic Duties
Ernest D Edlin 03 Oct 1907 Chemist Dispenser
Gladys M Edlin 17 Aug 1906 Domestic Worker
Sorry, this record is officially closed.

Marriages Dec 1940
Edlin Ernest D Rice Surrey N.W. 2a 1143
Rice Helen F Edlin Surrey N.W. 2a 1143

No children.

Father:
(Frederick) Charles Edlin
Burial Date: 19 Aug 1952
Burial Place: Chobham, St Lawrence, Surrey, England

Mother:
Florence Annie Mary Edlin
Age: 75
Burial Date: 6 Sep 1955
Burial Place: Chobham, St Lawrence, Surrey, England

Tricky Dicky · Jan 25, 2018

Merchant Navy Awards: Awards to Fishing Fleet not previously gazetted: London Gazette 20... | The National Archives
NAME Ernest Daniel Edlin RANK Corporal 8th Buffs AWARD BEM SHIP Victoire Roger

UK, Army Roll of Honour, 1939-1945
Name: Ernest Edlin
Given Initials: E D
Rank: Lance Serjeant
Death Date: 25 Jan 1944
Number: 5438517
Birth Place: Surrey
Residence: Surrey
Branch at Enlistment: Infantry
Theatre of War: Burma
Regiment at Death: Suffolk Regiment
Branch at Death: Infantry

UK, Naval Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1972
Name: E G Edlin
Medal or Award: RN Long Service and Good conduct Medal
Service Year: 1942-1947
This one is a Colour Sargeant in Royal Marines

I'm confused as the Edlin BEM seems to have been a DEMS gunner

TD

alieneyes · Jan 25, 2018

He was, TD.

Presumably some time after 9 July 1941 he enlisted in the army.

Tricky Dicky · Jan 25, 2018

Thanks alieneyes - can you remind me to fully read threads before posting information

TD

dbf · Jul 19, 2021

5438517 = Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry 5429001 - 5485000

"5438517 (Cp.) E. D.E Edlin (formerly DLI) was awarded the B.E.M. on 20th June, 1942 for destroying an enemy aircraft with his Lewis gun. (L.G. dtd. 10th June, ’41). His unit when the award was made was the Buffs, but at that time, our men were awarded the same decoration as the merchant service on security grounds (ie., not Service awards)."
From http://thequeensownbuffs.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Dragon-No-540-November-1944.pdf

Deacs · Jul 19, 2021

Surrey Advertiser 22 December 1945

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5438517 Lance Serjeant Ernest Daniel EDLIN, BEM, 2nd Bn. Suffolk Regiment: 25/01/1944

CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

Mr Jinks Bit of a Cad

alieneyes Senior Member

Attached Files:

BEM Civil Division a.png

BEM Civil Division b.jpg

harkness Well-Known Member

Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

alieneyes Senior Member

Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

dbf Moderatrix MOD

Deacs Well i am from Cumbria.

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5438517 Lance Serjeant Ernest Daniel EDLIN, BEM, 2nd Bn. Suffolk Regiment: 25/01/1944

CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

Mr Jinks Bit of a Cad

alieneyes Senior Member

Attached Files:

BEM Civil Division a.png

BEM Civil Division b.jpg

harkness Well-Known Member

Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

alieneyes Senior Member

Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

dbf Moderatrix MOD

Deacs Well i am from Cumbria.

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