Edmund Budd

Rank: Private

Service Number: 34075

Date of Birth: 1898

Regiment: Essex Regiment

Date of Death: 8 October 1917

Age at death: 19

Cemetery / Memorial: Arras Memorial

Country: France

Grave / Reference: Bay 7

Relatives: Son of Edmund and Lizzie Budd

Address: 85 High Street, Hadleigh

Edmund was born in Althorne, Essex in 1897 but by the age of four he was living in Hadleigh where his father Edmund and his uncle Henry were both bakers and confectioners at what is now 85 High Street. In 1911, Edmund was 13 and living at home with his parents; Edmund and Lizzie Budd and his siblings; Rose and Harold.

He enlisted with the Essex Yeomanry in February 1915 and transferred to the 9th Essex Service Battalion later. We do not know much about his service history, but we know he was in France by October 1917.

In October 1917 the main focus on the Western Front was the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele). At that time Edmund’s battalion were located further South and operating in the area around Arras. The 9th Essex Regiment had taken part at the Battle of Arras in April and were still taking turns to hold the front line between Feuchy and Wancourt. On the evening of 7 October the enemy sent over a heavy barrage badly damaging the trenches and men were sent out to carry out repairs. At some stage in that mayhem Private Edmund Budd was killed and his body lost on the battlefield.

As Edmund was listed missing in action, he is remembered on the Arras Memorial to the Missing.

Relatives of Edmund who are still living in Hadleigh have his medals and some artefacts, including his portrait in an usual frame in the shape of France.