Private 15646 Edward Banks

The St Helens Newspaper & Advertiser
Courtesy Ste M

Regiment/Unit: South Lancashire Regiment - 6th Bn.
Theatre of War: At sea (HS Guildford Castle)
Theatre of War First Served: Balkans
Date Entered Therein: 01/07/15

Age at death: 30
Date of death: 12th of August 1915 (Thursday)
Born: St Helens, Lancs
Resided: Bolton, Lancs
Burial / Memorial: Helles Memorial - Panel 139 and 140.

Family details:
Son of Isaac and Mary Banks, of 345, Eltonhead Rd., St. Helens, Lancs. Sister & sole legatee: Mrs Isabella Finlay.

Census details:
1891 - 7 years old Edward is living with his widowed father Isaac (44) and siblings Hannah (16), Isabella (9) and Isaac (30 at 125 Lyon Street, Eccleston, St Helens. 1901 - Edward 17 is employed as a Cotton Mill Piecer. He is living with his siblings Isabella (18) and Isaac (12) at the house of his uncle, William Dawson, 26 Princess Street, Farnworth, Bolton 1911 - Edward 23 a Banks Man above ground is living with his widowed father Issac (65) and brother Isaac (22). They are boarding at 23 Marshalls Cross Road, St Helens.

Notes:
Died of wounds received in Action (Gun Shot Wounds to chest). Died on board Hospital Ship - Guildford Castle. [url=lmem.php?lmem=36]Remembered on the Clock Face Colliery War Memorial[/url]

GUILDFORD CASTLE 1911 7.995 gross tons, length 451ft x beam 54.3ft, one funnel, two masts, twin screw, speed 13 knots, accommodation for 87-1st, 130-2nd and 195-3rd class passengers. Built by Barclay, Curle & Co, Glasgow for the Union-Castle Mail SS Co's intermediate service from London to South Africa, she was delivered in Oct.1911. At the outbreak of war in 1914 she was initially used to carry troops to Europe and the commissioned as a hospital ship with 427 beds. She served in the German West & East African campaigns, but was more occupied with disease than war wounds. On 10th Mar.1918, inbound to Avonmouth she was hit by a torpedo which failed to explode and was decommissioned and returned to Union-Castle Line in Nov.1918. Initially used in 1920 on the intermediate route, she then transferred to the "round Africa" service. On 31st May 1933 she collided with the Blue Funnel Line ship STENTOR in the River Elbe with the loss of two lives (pilot error was held to blame). Beached on 1st June and became a total loss. [Merchant Fleets, vol.18 by Duncan Haws] [pic]imgs/WW1_memorials/SLR_1.jpg[/pic][caption]The panel on the Helles Memorial bearing the inscription for Private Edward Banks (Photograph courtesy of Phil Wood off GWF )[/caption]