Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the youngest son of Joseph Start, a grocer’s assistant, born 1871 in Shepshed, Leics., and his wife Alice Start (nee Johnson, married in the 3rd quarter of 1894 in the Loughborough, Leics. district), born 1870 in Loughborough, Leics. Edward was born on the 18th April 1899 in Loughborough, Leics., his siblings were, Joseph L., born 1896 and Muriel Alice, born 1897, both his siblings were born in Loughborough, Leics., in March 1901 the family home was at 13, Middleton Place, Loughborough, Leics. In April 1911 Edward was a schoolboy and was residing in the family home at 9, Fearon Street, Loughborough, Leics., together with his father, a grocer’s traveller, his mother and siblings, Joseph, a grocer’s apprentice, Muriel, Ethel, born 1904, Winifred, born 1908 and Dorothy Mary, born 1910, the latter three siblings were all born in Loughborough, Leics. Edward was educated at Roseberry Street Council and Intermediate Schools at Loughborough, Leicestershire. On leaving he was employed as a Clerk at the Town Hall. He enlisted in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in July 1916, giving his date of birth as the 18th April 1897 (19 years of age), thereby making him eligible for man’s service, although at the time he had only just turned 17, having been born in 1899. He served aboard HMS Kale a Torpedo Boat Destroyer from October 1916 until he was killed by a mine explosion in the North Sea. Edward was unmarried. The background relating to the circumstances in which Edward lost his life are as follows: On the 27th March 1918 HMS Kale was lost after striking a contact mine in the North Sea with the loss of 41 officers and men. She was not awarded a Battle Honour for her service. The court martial enquiry was very critical of Commander Dennison who was in command. It seems to be a clear case of hitting a British mine, it records: He had steered a course which was six miles east of the swept channel, i.e. swept for mines and straight into a prohibited area which contained a defensive British minefield; details of the restricted zone had been promulgated several weeks earlier, but he had failed to read them or to see that the information provided was marked on the charts.