Biography of Edgar Reginald FOLKER
[Ref. Q.3]
| Army documents |  |
War diary | |
Biography |
Biography of Edgar Reginald FOLKER
[Ref. Q.3]
| Army documents | |
War diary | |
Biography |
Along with his brothers Arthur and Sydney, Edgar joined the York and Lancaster Regiment in World War 1. His Application for Appointment to a Commission in the Special Reserve of Officers was completed and signed by him on 13 August 1914 and reported in The London Gazette. The application indicated that he was able to ride a horse. On 15 August he joined the 3rd (Reserve) batallion in the rank of 2nd lieutenant. He underwent a physical fitness test at Hounslow Barracks on 25th August and was pronounced fit. The form details his physical attributes recording that he was 6'3" tall, weighed just over 14 stones, had good vision but had three false teeth on a bottom plate.
Edgar was posted to join "A" Company of the 1st Battalion of the York and Lancaster Regiment at military camp in Hursley Park. The Battalion had recently returned from duty in Bombay and they were to form part of the 83rd Brigade of the 28th Division. At 8am on 15 January 1915, the Battalion marched from Hursley to Southampton where they boarded S.S.Lake Michigan and sailed for France. They disembarked on 17 January at 10am, then boarded a troop train which took them to Hazebrouk, arriving at 9pm the following day, 18 January. They immediately marched off to Meteren which was nine miles away, arriving at 6am on 19 January, and went into billets. During that march, one man died of heart failure.
The Battalion remained in their billets until 1 February when, at 2.30pm, 38 buses took them to Vlamertinghe. Two officers were left behind as they were in hospital. At 9.30pm the Battalion marched to Pont de Lille at Yprés where they drew stores and ammunition then marched on to relieve the French 62nd Infantry Brigade at St.Eloi. The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry were jointly part of that relief group. Their positions are shown on Appendix 1 in the Regimental War Diary.
The trenches taken over by the York and Lancs were described as poor with very low parapets and not bullet proof. They were poorly connected making communication difficult and, as there were not enough telephones, this had to be done largely with the despatch of orderlys but made difficult by enemy fire. The trenches held a good deal of water made worse by rain during the night so 40 facines were brough in for the men to stand on. Edgar's trench was the worst of these.
The Battalion endured being shelled during 3 February then in the evening were relieved of duty by the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry and the Kings Own (Royal Lancaster) Regiment. The Battalion arrived at barracks in Yprés at 2am on 4 February having lost one man killed and eight wounded during their first spell in the trenches.
At 4.14pm the same day, the Battalion received orders to move to Brigade headquarters but they were late leaving due to delays being issued with their rations. On arrival at Brigade head quarters, orders were received to occupy the Reserve trenches running from La Ferme Maurice to Château Lankhof with three Companies and to send one Company to the headquarters of the East Yorkshire Regt at La Ferme St Maurice. On arrival there was information that the Germans had captured the position of a trench and two machine guns from the East Yorkshires, "A", "B" & "C" Companies were told to move to the Château Rosental and "D" Company to stay with the East Yorkshire Regt. There was not sufficient room for the men, so at 4.30am on 5 February, the Battalion was distributed between Chteau Rosental, Château Lankhof and some dug-outs on the Yprés - Messimes road. Casualties in the 24 hours up to 8am were were one NCO killed and one wounded.
Captain Bamford noted in the diary that owing to men continually moving about, they were seen by a German aeroplane with the result that the Château Rosental was shelled. A lesson which should not require learning again, though the actual damage done was small. At 5pm the same day, the Battalion received orders to attack the trenches at La Ferme St Maurice which had been captured but it could not be found so they relieved the East Yorkshire Regiment from their trenches at 3.30am on 6 February. The Battalion had lost another six NCO's and men and seven were wounded.
The diary notes that difficulties of this part of the country are worthy of note the trenches were badly made and very wet those occupied by D Company had practically no parapit and the water in most places was up to the mens knees those of the other companies were not so bad in this respect The woods in rear held a few snipers who were troublesome, also passage through the woods except on roads was very difficult. Artillery fire had knocked down so many branches of trees that the whole place was turned into a most effective abbatis. It was very difficult to get men to act as reliable guides because the country was difficult and could not be seen in daylight. Communication was established with all Companies by orderly and with Brigade head quarters by telephone. The lack of telephone had again been felt.
Edgar endured heavy shelling during the day which caused a great deal of damage to the parapit of the trenches of "A" Company, in some cases men had to be dug out of the trench where the parapit had been knocked down on them. Owing to effective fire being brought on him, Captain East was compelled to withdraw his men to the left of his trench then re-occupied the right again as soon as it became dusk. The Battalion was relieved from the trenches by the Buffs between 1.30am and 4.30am and returned to the Infantry Barracks at Yprés. The casualties during the previous 24 hours were 1 man killed and 15 NCO's & men wounded. The wastage from sick during the previous seven days was forty six NCO's and men sent to hospital.
The Battalion left Yprés at by Companies at about 3am on 7 February and went into billets in the neighbourhood of Ouderdom, remaining there until 11 February.
At 6.15am on 11 February they left for Yprés where they arrived at 6.15pm. "B" and "C" Companies went to Blauwepoort Farm in support of The Kings Own Royal Light Infantry, whilst "A" and "D" Companies went into the Infantry Barracks at Yprés. It had rained a lot in the night which made the roads difficult for transport, but the day was fine though cold and raw. 12 February was also wet and cold.
"C" and "D" Companies left the Infantry Barracks at Yprés to take over trenches from the Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry at Verbranden Molen and that was completed at 2am on 14 February. "C" Company went into renches P1 and p2, "B" Company and one Platoon Grenadier company into trench Q. "D" Company went into Trench R1 and the platoon Grenadier Company into R2. Machine guns were placed in P1, Q and R1.
The trenches were described as fairly good but requiring constant attention. Part of R2 and Q were very wet. Practically no obstacles in front of a really permanent nature though there were remains of old barbed wire entanglements and lengths of loose barbed wire which had been thrown out in front. The railway cutting on the left of trench R2 and centre of Q where the enemy are very close it was estimated that they are only about 25 yards away. Room on the right between trenches P1 and P2 is re-entrant whichs badly wants blocking up with barbed wire. Trench P1 is directly in touch with the trenches held by 85th Brigade. In places along the trenches the parapit were low. The current loopholes were well known by the German Marksmen, and men of the Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry have been wounded. Communication by telephone had been established with P1 and R1 trenches.
The day of 14 February passed quietly. At 5pm an artillery observation officer came and warned that the Germans were expected to attack to right. An Alsation deserter reported that a general attack was arranged for 15 or 16 February. The night passed quietly except for heavy firing on our right at intervals. One man was killed by a bombardment. It was very wet.
On 15 February, the Battalion was relieved by the Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. Half the Battalion returned to Yprés and the other to Blauport Farm, arriving about 2am on 16 February. At 10am on 17 February, orders were received for "A" and "B" Companys and the Grenadier Company to march immediately to Tuilerie where they arrived at 11.45am. They had been required to retake a trench which had been occupied by the East Yorkshire but had been blown up by the enemy who then occupied it. Two Companies of the Kings Own Regiment had been ordered to Re-take the trench and had done so by 12.45pm. The York and Lancaster Companies returned to Yprés at 4pm. They left again at 6pm and moved to Verbranden Molen to take over trenches from the Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, arriving there by 10pm.
The day of 18 February the trenches suffered from incoming shells by which a Lieutenent was wounded and another killed. At 4pm a length of trench was blown down and totally destroyed by German mortars. As soon as this was done, a party of 30 to 40 of the enemy rushed out of their trench unarmed as far as could be ascertained, with the idea of throwing bombs. "C" Company in P2 trench at once opened rapid fire on them and from what could be seen, only two men escaped. At 8.30pm fatigue parties belonging to the Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry arrived at Battalion headquarters bringing barbed wire, sand bags, very lights, gabions etc. and these were sent up to the Companies. The materials were used overnight to improve the trenches but the parapet of Q trench was knocked down during the afternoon.
At 2.30pm orders were received to the effect that the Battalion would remain in the trenches for another day, and that was to prove fatal to Edgar. A report was received at 11pm from the Officer Commanding "A" Company with the left section that 2nd Lieutenant Folker had been killed. He had crept down an old sap near tranch S1 and was poisoned by foul air. According to Captain Bamford, Edgar was buried nearby. He had been in trench 37 (formerly R2) near Verbranden Molen when a shell exploded in a connecting sap. He went to investigate the damage but was overcome by poisonous fumes which proved fatal. The Casualty Form gave other details, including a sketch of the place at which he was buried. The Field Service Report of 1 March 1915 gave a brief official record of the event.
On the morning of 20 February, the enemy broke through the British line but seemed to have gone back when forces came to drive them out. At 8.30pm, the Kings Own Scottish Borderers arrived to take over the trenches occupied by the York and Lancaster Battalion who marched to Yprés Town Hall where a hot meal had been prepared. At 3am three Companies marched to some huts which had been put up half way between Vlamertinghe and Ouderdom where they remained until 26 February.
On 22 February, Edgar's father had received the dreaded telegram notifying his death, there was some correspondence between him and the War Office regarding the place where Edgar was buried. A copy of the sketch was sent to Edgar's father by the Military Secretary with a letter on 14 June 1915, however, that sketch is now lost. Edgar's Commanding Officer wrote the following to his father - Although your son had only been with us a comparatively short time, yet he had endeared himself to us all, and we very much miss him in the Regiment. I feel that nothing I can say will be able to alleviate your sorrow, but I am sure you will be glad to hear what an excellent officer he was, and could very ill be spared. He was so keen on everything he had to do and did it so well, and the men of his company were so fond of him.
Edgar had only been in the army for six months, of which less than five weeks were in France, and actually in the trenches for about eight days, before he was killed.
As a fallen soldier whose body was never recovered from the battlefield, his name is one of those listed at the Menin Gate Memorial. He postumously received the three war medals and also the plaque and scroll as sent to the next of kin of the fallen soldiers. His name is remembered on the Harlesden war memorial.