Rifleman & Lewis Gunner 4332 Joseph Edwin Bellis

Family details:
Son of Edwin and Mary Ann Bellis, of 37, Carr Mill Rd., Billinge, Wigan. Father Edwin is legatee.

Census details:
1901 - 3 years old Joseph Edwin is living at 27 Carr Mill Road, Billinge with his parents Edwin (37), Mary Ann (38) and three siblings: Ruth (14), Maria (12), James (10). 1911 - Sees 13 years old 'Blacksmith's Apprentice' Joseph Edwin still living at 27 Carr Mill Road, Billinge with his parents Edwin (47), Mary Ann (48) and siblings Maria (22), James (20).

Notes:
[url=lmem.php?lmem=39]Remembered On The St. Aidan's C of E Church Memorial[/url]

Edwin was born on the 21st of June 1897 the youngest child and second son of Edwin and Mary Ann Bellis of 29 Carr Mill Road (Long Fold), and was baptised on the 1st of August 1897 at St. Aidan's C.E. Church. The family later moved to 37 Carr Mill Road and Edwin worked as a drawer at the Winstanley Collieries, Leyland Green before enlisting on the 27th of September 1915 at St. Helens to join the South Lancashire Regiment. He was serving in France when he was killed in action on Wednesday the 2nd of August 1916 aged 19 years. It is said that after Edwin was reported killed, his mother never laughed again, and she was one of the first mothers to go over to France in 1919 to visit her sons grave. Edwin is buried in the Peronne Road Cemetery, Maricourt, Somme, France, grave IV.F.39. His name is recorded on both St. Aidan's C.E. Church and the Methodist Church Memorials, the St. Helens Cenotaph and on the family grave headstone in St. Aidan's Churchyard, grave 9/31. Sources:- St. Helens Local History Library, Soldiers killed in the Great War; The Commonwealth War Graves Commission; St. Aidan's Church Registers; St. Aidan's Parish Magazine, September 1916; The Wigan observer, 2nd of September 1916; The Billingers by R.D. Lewis. [url=http://sthelens-connect.net/sitefiles/billinge-history.pdf]Information Courtesy of The Billinge History Society[/url] [pic]imgs/WW1_misc/4332JosephEdwinBellis.jpg[/pic][caption]Army Registers of Soldiers' Effects, 1901-1929[/caption] [pic]tpics/4332_Bellis_.jpg[/pic] [pic]tpics/4332_Bellis_2_.jpg[/pic][caption]A family Inscription in St. Aidan's Churchyard, Billinge (Image Courtesy of Jeff Keenan)[/caption] [pic]imgs/S1PWHYAOTV/E_Bellis_SLR.jpg[/pic][caption]The headstone of 4332 Joseph Edwin Bellis at Peronne Road Cemetery. Maricourt (Photo courtesy of Ste M)[/caption]