Edward Allen Preece was born in Atcham, Shrewsbury in 1892, as the eldest of 7 children. The family lived at 33 Greenfield Street, Shrewsbury. His parents were Allen and Ellen Preece, and their other children were Dorothy, May, Henry, Vincent, Frank and Daisy. His father worked as a whitesmith or tinsmith. His mother died in 1906. By that time they had moved to Oswestry and were living at 8 Coney Green; she is buried at Oswestry Cemetery. Edward was apprenticed to his father and also became a whitesmith.

Edward enlisted at Oswestry, probably in 1915 – he was not awarded the 1915 Star so did not arrive in France until 1916. He was posted to 1/ 5 Bn Cheshire Regiment which, in November 1915, was converted to a Pioneer Battalion. Edward died of wounds on 9 May 1917 at either 30 or 37 Casualty Clearing Station at Avesnes le Comte. In the days before his death the battalion had been on working parties in the trenches at Wancourt to the southeast of Arras. He had been gassed and died of heart failure. Edward is buried at Avenses le Comte Communal Cemetery Extension and is also commemorated at Holy Trinity Church, Oswestry.

Acknowledgements.

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