His brother Lance Corporal John William (Jack) Pottinger, 1/7th Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment (Robin Hood Rifles), was killed in action on 1st August 1915, seven days before Edwin's death in action. John William was buried in Sanctuary Wood Cemetery (grave ref II.E.4).
Another brother, Frederick George, had died suddenly on 28 June 1915, three days before John William's death: Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths’, 30 June 1915 - ‘Pottinger. On the 28th inst., at 11, Pinder’s House-road, Frederick George, aged 42 years, dearly-beloved son of Joseph and Sarah Ann Pottinger, died suddenly. Service St Margaret’s Church, Thursday , 1.45’ (wwwb.ritishnewspaperaarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Evening Post, 'Roll of Honour' (abridged), 3 September 1915: 'Pottinger, killed in action on August 9th, Sergeant Edwin Pottinger, 2nd Sherwood Foresters, husband of Elsie Pottinger aged 24 years.'
Nottingham Evening Post obituary (abridged) 3 September 1915: Pottinger, killed in action August 1st, Lance Corporal JW Pottinger, 1/7th Bn Sherwood Foresters, aged 41 years, also Sergeant EJ Pottinger, 2nd Bn Sherwood Foresters, killed in action 9 August age 34. Sons of Joseph and Sarah Ann Pottinger.
A memorial service was held on 19th September 1915 for two brothers who had been killed in action in Flanders the previous month details were published in the Nottingham Daily Express 20th September 1915 :-
“CONGREGATION IN MOURNING.
“Memorial Service for Nottingham Soldier Brothers.
“In memory of Sergeant Edwin Pottinger, of the 1st Battalion Sherwood Foresters, and of his brother. Lance-Corporal John W. Pottinger,of the Robin Hoods, both of whom fell in action in France early last month, a funeral service was held at St. Margaret's Church, Nottingham, yesterday. [19th September 1915] The church was crowded with sympathetic members of the congregation and members of the mother church, St. Saviour's, for the heroes' father was formerly a church officer. A sad circumstance associated with their death was that another brother [1] died suddenly in the street only a few weeks ago. The Rev. W. A. Bywater conducted the service, which was choral and very impressive.
“St. Saviour's and St. Margaret’s have about 300 members serving with the Colours, and 15 of them have sacrificed their lives.”
[1] A widowed plate-layer, Frederick George Pottinger, died in Nottingham on 28th June 1915.
Above is courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918.
Nottingham Evening Post, 22 September 1915, photographs of JW and EJ Pottinger with caption: ‘Lce-Cpl JW Pettinger, 1/7th Robin Hoods, 10, Taylor’s Cottages, London Road, Nottm., killed in action Aug. 1st. Sgt EJ Pottinger, 2nd Sherwood Foresters, brother of JW and killed in action same day (sic) after 16 years’ service.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam’, Wednesday 9 August 1916: ‘Pottinger. Killed in action, August 1st 1915, Lance Corporal J Pottinger; also Sergeant EJ Pottinger, killed August 9th 1915. If your eyes were only open what a change you would see, but God has willed it not to be. Loving sisters and brother Jane, Bertha and Jack.’ (www.british newspaperarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam’, Wednesday 9 August 1916: ‘Pottinger. In loving memory of my dear sons and brothers, Fred, died suddenly June 28th 1915; Lance-Corporal J Pottinger, killed in action, August 1st; also Sergeant EJ Pottinger, killed August 9th, 1915. Our boys have gone , and we are left to think of them in sorrow, but we must hope to meet again on that eternal morrow. Mother, sisters, and brother Ernest.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam’, Wednesday 9 August 1916: ‘Pottinger. Killed in action, August 9th, 1915, Sergeant EJ Pottinger. He died that we might live. Ever in our thoughts. Wife and children.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
WW1 Pension Ledgers: his dependants were his widow Elsie (b. 4 March 1890) and their children Alfreda Mary (b. June 1911) and Constance (b. 26 February 1916).
Registers of Soldiers' Effects: His widow Elsie (later Kirk) was his sole legatee.