Edward Ralph Oakden

Edward Ralph was the son of Edward and Alice Oakden (née Fairbank). His father Edward was born in Nottingham in 1855, the son of Ralph Oakden and his second wife Jane. Edward was baptised at Nottingham St Mary on 5 October 1855. His mother Alice, the daughter of George and Hannah Fairbank, was born in Tresswell, Nottinghamshire, in about 1863. Edward and Alice were married at Nottingham St Mary on 27 July 1891 and they had four children who were born in Nottingham: Alice Mary b. 1892 bap. Nottingham Holy Trinity 12 June 1892; Edward Ralph b. 1 June 1893 bap. Holy Trinity 2 July 1893; Arthur William b. 17 November 1894 bap. Holy Trinity 13 January 1895 and George Frederick b. 1897 bap. Nottingham St Matthew 21 March 1897. The family lived at North Church Street between 1892 and 1895 and on Upper Talbot Street in 1897. However, by 1901 Edward, a dealer in malt, and Alice were living on Castle Street, Nottingham, with their children Alice Mary (8), Edward (7), Arthur (6) and George (4). Also in the household was a general domestic servant. His parents had separated by 1911 and Edward (55), a farmer, was living at Trent Vale Farm, Beeston, Nottingham, with his children Mary, Edward, William and George who were all at school. Also in the household was a general domestic servant, Carrie Sheffield. Edward died on 14 November 1911. The probate record gave his address as Trent Vale, Meadow Road, Beeston, farmer, and 'of the Three Crowns Inn Parliament Street, Nottingham, licensed victualler.' Alice Oakden (48), a tobbaconist and newsagent, was living at 188 Loughborough Road, Leicester, in 1911. Also in the household was a general domestic servant. Alice was living in Nottingham when she died on 30 August 1935. Probate was awarded to her unmarried daughter. Arthur William, Lieutenant Royal Field Artillery, died in France on 29 June 1918 after a short illness and is buried in Abbeville Communal Cemetery Extension. The probate records for Arthur and Edward gave their address as 9 Vickers Street, Nottingham. George served as a lieutenant in the Yorkshire Regiment. He received Edward's medals after the war and the medal roll gave his address as 55 Herbert Street, London. Alice Mary served as a VAD nurse from 12 July 1918 to 11 February 1919 (4th Northern General Military). The British Red Cross Society record gave her address as Bank House, Retford, Nottinghamshire, which was the home of relatives, William Oakden, a bank manager, and his wife Mary Elizabeth. Their son Arthur Marshall died of wounds at Gallipoli on 21 May 1915. (See record on this Roll of Honour)

Educated at Nottingham High School. He was a member of Nottingham Rowing Club and University College Nottingham OTC. He was articled to JW Briggs of Nottingham.

'D' Coy 10th Bn Sherwood Foresters from September 1914. Gazetted lieutenant and promoted captain July 191, he served in France from July 1915. He was wounded in August 1915 (see below), and evacuated to England, returning to France in March 1916. He was shot in the face and lost the sight of both eyes while taking part in the attack near Fricourt on the Somme, 2 July 1916 (see below). Edward resigned his commission that year. At some point he was a resident at St Dunstan Hostel for Blind Soldiers and Sailors. He died in Hanover Nursing Home, London, of meningitis due to the wounds he had received nine months earlier. He is buried in Nottingham Church (Rock) Cemetery (Select site D.880). Wayne Osborne, A History of the 10th Battalion, the Notts and Derbys. Volume One: Dorset 1914 to the Ypres Salient 1915, p. 61, Salient Books (Nottingham), 2009: (27 August 1915): 'In an audacious move the Germans brought up a field gun and placed it in their line opposite the 10th Battalion’s position. At virtually point blank range, the gun proceeded to shell the British, and to good effect. Firing over open sights, the German gun team did a good deal of damage, something that their colleagues had failed to do with batteries of guns at longer range. The battalion’s trenches were damaged and men were wounded. Captain Gregory, the second in command of B Company, already wounded in the foot, and Captain Oakden second in command of D Company were both slightly wounded and four men were badly wounded. One of these men, Private Reginald Turner [17386 Private RS Turner, a member of Nottingham Boat Club], died of his wounds during the day.'

His brother Arthur William, Lieutenant Royal Field Artillery, died in France on 29 June 1918 after a short illness. (See record on this Roll of Honour) Nottingham Evening Post, 12 October 1916: ‘Captain Oakden’s Serious Injury. With regard to the announcement that Captain ER Oakden, Sherwood Foresters has just relinquished his commission ‘owing to his indifferent health; we learn that he was shot at the beginning of the great push whilst climbing the parapet of a German trench at Riecourt, and has lost the sight of both eyes, without any hope of recovery. His health is otherwise now quite good.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Roll of Honour’, 26 March 1917: ‘Oakden. Captain Edward Ralph Oakden, at of the Sherwood Foresters, died at Hanover Nursing Home, London on Thursday, March 222nd, from the effects of wounds, aged 23 years.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Officers Services’ Record - Sherwood Foresters. Edward Ralph. Born 1 June 1893. Educated Nottingham High School. Joined UCN OTC. 2nd Lieut 10th Bn SF 12 September 1914. Captain 10 July 1915. France July 1915. Wounded 21 August 1915 and again at Reninfholst 27-28 September 1915 in arm by rifle grenade, treated in hospital in England. Returned to France March 1916. Wounded 2 July 1916 at Fricourt when blinded by the explosion of a bomb; his life was saved by Cpl Robinson who carried him under great difficulties to a dressing station. Recovered but lost his sight and afterwards joined the blinded officers at St Dunstan. Died suddenly 22 March 1917 of meningitis due to the wound he had received 9 months previously Nottinghamshire Law Society ROH: ‘Captain Edward Ralph Oakden. Of Vickers Street, Nottingham, son of the late Mr Edward Oakden of Beeston and Nottingham, who died in a Nursing Home in London on the 22nd March 1917, was 23 years of age. He was educated at the Nottingham High School and afterwards became a Law Student, being articled to Mr JW Briggs, Solicitor, Nottingham. He was a member of the OTC at School and later at the University College. He volunteered at the outbreak of the war and obtained a commission in September 1914 in the 10th Sherwood Foresters. Three months later he was promoted and was advanced to his captaincy in July 1915. He went to France in that month and was wounded and invalided home in August. Returning to the front in March 1916 he took part in the Somme offensive. In an attack at Fricourt he was again wounded, and very seriously, on July 2nd, losing the sight of both eyes. He apparently recovered but suffered a relapse a few days before his death.’ Nottingham Rowing Club archive (Nottinghamshire Archives ref DD 865/67/59): Postcard to RS Earp Esq, Secretary NRC, 10 Angel Row, Nottingham, from AM Oakden, School of Gardening, Clapham, Nr (-), 'Captain ER Oakden of 10th Sherwood Foresters from the time the Regiment was formed in September 1914 until his death as the result of wounds received on the Somme, July 2nd 1916. He died 9 months later, 22 March 1917. I should be very much interested to know the names of any officers of the 10th who served with his regiment, previous to July 1916 who now survive. If you have time I should be much obliged if you could send me the names of any men likely to have known my brother. Yours truly AM Oakden' [sister of Captain ER Oakden] St. Dunstan’s Hostel for Blind Soldiers and Sailors was founded by Sir Arthur Pearson in 1914. It later moved to a property in Regent’s Park. The hostel was set up for ex-servicemen to provide somewhere for them to go to ‘learn to be blind’ after they had received hospital treatment. The charity is now Blind Veterans UK. Probate: Edward Ralph of 9 Vickers-street Nottingham gentleman died 22 March 1917 t the Hanover Nursing Home London Probate Nottingham 10 August to Ralph Oakden gentleman and William Oakden bank manager. Effects £5665 4s. 6d