Captain Simeons
Friday 18th February 1916: Captain Edward E Simeons, 8th
Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, and formerly 5th Battalion has died of wounds
sustained while serving on the Western Front. Captain Simeons was second son of
Mr and Mrs Charles Simeons of “Dudley”, Blythe-road, Bromley and nephew of Mr
and Mrs T A Cawley of “Lea Dale”, New Bedford-road, Luton with whom he resided
since 1910. He died in Flanders yesterday as a result of shell wounds received
in action on the previous day(1).
He was a
subaltern(2) in the 5th Bedfordshire Regiment (Territorials) before the wear
and on the outbreak of war joined the 8th (Service) Battalion, Bedfordshire
Regiment as a Second Lieutenant, being afterwards promoted Lieutenant.
After having
been in training at Brighton and Aldershot, he left for France last August, and
previous to the battle of Loos was promoted to Captain. He was recommended for
the DSO(3) and his Colonel writes: “He was a splendid Company Commander; keen,
bold and self-reliant”.
Captain
Simeons was in his 23rd year, and intended to settle down in Luton, being
associated with the British Gelatine Works Limited. Two of his brothers are in
the Honorable Artillery Company(4) and the youngest of them, after having been
in action at the Persian Gulf, is now at Cardiff recovering from enteric fever.
Sources: Bedfordshire Times 24th
February 1916; X550/9/1
(1) The 8th
Battalion war Diary gives Captain Simeons’ date of death as 15th February
whilst Commonwealth War Graves Commission gives 17th
(2) Second
Lieutenant
(3) Which he
did not receive
(4) Despite
its name a Territorial infantry unit.
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