Private Edwin John Newbury (1897-1952) moved to Wickhamford just prior to the First World War. He was a son of John and Margaretta Newbury and he was living with his family in Murcot in 1901, where his father was an agricultural labourer. By 1911, he was 13 years old and employed as a ‘gardener’s lad’. School admissions records reveal that the family moved to Wickhamford in 1912 when Edwin’s youngest brother, Jesse, started at Badsey School. In 1915 they were living at Bowers Hill, Badsey, but then moved back to Badsey.
Edwin enlisted in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment (No 9248) in 1914, giving an age of nineteen; he went to France on 31st July 1915. He was transferred to the Machine Gun Corps (No 73839) and attached to the B.E.F. on 3rd January 1917. Only parts of his service record survive, showing that at some point in his service in France he was in hospital in Etaples. He was demobilised on 9th April 1919 and awarded the 1914/15 Star, Victory and British War medals.
He married Nellie Griffin in Wickhamford church in 1921, the Banns showing that he was still living in Wickhamford at that time.