Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of James Bird a shoe manufacturer, born 1840 in Stafford, and his wife Eliza Anne Bird (nee Liggitt, married in the 4th quarter of 1864 in the Bromsgrove, Worcestershire district), born 1843 in Wellington, Salop. Edward, a schoolboy, was born in the 3rd quarter of 1884 in Belgrave, Leicester, his siblings were, Agnes, a shoe trade machinist, born in the 3rd quarter of 1867 and John, a shoe trade riveter, born in the 1st quarter of 1875, the latter two siblings were both born in Bromsgrove and Henry Alfred, a schoolboy, born the 2nd quarter of 1883 in Belgrave, Leicester, in April 1891 the family home was at 35 & 37, The Green, Belgrave, Leicester. In March 1901 Edward was employed as a shoe trade riveter and was residing in the family home at 207, Loughborough Road, Leicester together with his father, a shoe trade riveter, his mother and siblings, James, a shoe trade riveter, born 1872 in Smethwick, Staffordshire, John, a shoe trade riveter and Harry, a shoe trade riveter. In April 1911 Edward was absent from the family home at 72, Bath Street, Belgrave, Leicester, residing there was his widowed mother, Edward had emigrated with his two brothers to Canada in 1910. Edward also had an older brother, Frederick E., who was born in 1866 in Aston, Warwickshire.
Edward enlisted into the Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force on the 22nd September 1914 in Valcartier, Quebec, and was allotted the service number 7019. He gave his date of birth as August 1st 1884, place of birth as Leicester, his next of kin as his mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Bird, 12, Linford Street, Belgrave, Leicester , marital status as single and his trade or calling as shoe cutter.
His descriptive examination recorded that his apparent age was 30 years 1 month, he was 5 feet 10 inches in height, weighed 175 lbs, had a chest measurement of between 35 and 39 inches, his complexion was described as fair, he had blue eyes and his hair colour was brown. His physical development was described as good. The following distinctive marks were noted, scar on left knee, he gave his religion as Church of England.
During his period of military service the following events of note occurred:-
Promoted. Corporal to Sergeant. In the Field. 24/4/15.
Missing. After action near Givenchy. 15/6/15.
Previously. Reported missing now for official purposes presumed to have died on or since. 15/6/15.
He was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Edward’s service record amounts to a total of twenty nine pages and these are in good condition and offer an accurate overall description of events that took place during his period of his military service.
The War Diary records: 15 Jun-15 – PREOL. Weather Fine. AM. Battalion preparing for action.
1:30pm. Battalion marched via North side of CANAL to front trenches East of GIVENCHY and took up positions preparatory to advance against enemy’s trench.
3:00pm. Battalion in position.
6:00pm. Advance against German front began. Forward Company reached German second line trench but owing to exposure of flanks were obliged to fall back before a violent counter-attack to original front line British trench and this movement was completed by 9:30pm. Battalion remained in front line trench (British).
(See narrative by Commanding Officer and Battalion Operation Orders).
FIRST CANADIAN BATTALION (ONT. RGT)
Narrative of Operations, 15th June, 1915. Reference: LA BASSEE Trench Map 1/5000.
[1] The objective of our attack was the line H.6—I.14 toward which the leading Company (No.4) was ordered to advance without check, supported by No.3 Company, Nos. 2 and 1 Companies being held in local reserve.
[2] The leading Company advanced as planned through the dust made by the mine explosion, followed immediately by the supporting Company and 2 Machine Guns. The wire in front of the German front line was found to have been well cut by artillery fire and the parapet knocked down in many places. The explosion of the mine appears to have done much damage to the German front line and to have killed many of the enemy. Grenadier parties advanced in rear of either flank although the right party had lost in killed and injured 1 officer killed and 8 grenadiers injured by the mine explosion, and of our reserve bomb depots the right was buried by the explosion and the left is reported to have been exploded at the same time. Towards H.2 the German front trench was quickly gained to a point South of the crater. On the left the advance was checked in front of H.3 where our left joined the YORKS by Machine Gun and rifle fire. H.3 was strongly held by, it is reported, several Machine Guns. The exact number cannot be given. The fire from this point (H.3) killed and wounded the advancing YORKS and our left flank to such an extent that an active assault from that front was impossible.
[3] The German front trench having been gained, No.4 Company advanced without stopping across the open and up the communication trench to the German 2nd line between H.6 and I.13 and to the North of I.13. No.3 Company followed in support and No.2 Company advanced at once to consolidate the German front line and hold it. The advance towards the front of H.3 and to the North of that point having been stopped, the Machine Guns in H.3 were turned on No.2 Company as it advanced and this Company suffered heavy losses in advancing.
[4] Our bombing parties had meanwhile cleared the German trenches on our right toward the South up to and, it is reported, even including H.5 and also the German 2nd line trench from H.6 to I.13 to a point North of I.15.
[5] At 7:00pm No.1 Company, the last in local reserve, was sent forward to the German front line. At 7:15 a counter-attack was reported as developing from the direction of H.5 and the enemy also counter-attacked from I.14. From the left rifle and hand grenades were used, while the position at H.3 enabled Machine Gun fire to be employed on our left rear, our left flank and obliquely across the space between our front line and the German front line.
[6] The 2 Machine Guns which advanced with No.3 Company took up a position in the German front line South of H.3 in support of our endeavour to capture this point.
[7] Violent hand-to-hand fighting and bombing ensued until, owing to our supply of bombs having been exhausted and our numbers having been so depleted through losses, our forward position became untenable and those of the advanced Companies who were left fell back to the German front trench.
[8] Communication between our front line and the German front line was most difficult, many bearers of messages fell in transit and it was not till 6:45 that a Sergeant of No.4 Company brought in a message from his Officer Commanding that he was holding the German 2nd line trench but was hard pressed.
[9] The forward supply of bombs was most difficult, aggravated by the losses in bombs caused by the mine explosion and the congestion in our own trenches which were much crowded not only by troops but by dead and wounded men.
[10] At 7:20pm “B” Company 3rd CANADIANS, was ordered to advance in support of 1st CANADIANS, but owing to the conditions just mentioned it was not until sometime later that this advance took place. Shortly after nine o’clock Major SMITH, 1st CANADIANS, the senior officer forward, finding it impossible to retain possession of the German first line owing to pressure on both flanks and in front, evacuated this trench with what remained of 1st CANADIANS.
[11] Meanwhile “B” Company, 3rd CANADIANS, which cleared at 9:05pm advanced towards the German front line but in the face of grenades, rifle and hand thrown, Machine Gun and rifle fire, was unable to make progress. This Company subsequently fell back and reached our first line at 10:00pm.
[12] Major SMITH, who had previously been wounded, was killed as he reached our first line trench.
[13] Total casualties were: Officers killed 10, wounded 8, missing 2. Other ranks killed 58, wounded 218, missing 22.
[14] Battalion orders are attached as an appendix.
On Thursday, August, 19th, 1915 The Leicester Daily Post published the following article under the heading. “LEICESTERSHIRE AND THE WAR.” – THE ROLL OF HONOUR. – Sergeant E. BIRD, 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade, son of Mrs. Bird, of 12, Linford-street, Belgrave, was killed in an attack at Givenchy, on 15th June. Writing to Mrs. Bird, Lieut. R. R. Brown states, “I had the opportunity at different times of knowing his worth, and I can say I never met a braver man.”
On Tuesday, August, 24th, 1915 The Leicester Daily Post published the following article under the heading. “LEICESTERSHIRE AND THE WAR.” – LOCAL CASUALTIES. – THE DEATH OF SERGT. BIRD. – Lieutenant R. R. Brown, 1st Battalion Canadians, writing to Mrs. Bird, of 12, Linford-street, Belgrave, with reference to the death of her son, Sergeant Bird, already reported, says – “It was with a sad heart I heard of your son being missing after the attack on June 15th near Givenchy. He was one of my sergeants, and a braver man was not to be found anywhere. Just before the attack I went to get my men together, and never did I see such an inspiring sight. Your son with several others was standing looking over our trenches, and bullets flying around, and they had their caps in their hands waving them and cheering their comrades who were attacking the German trenches. Soon we had to charge across the open, and your gallant son was one of the first, if not the first of our company to get over our parapets and into the German trenches. Circumstances were such that I had to leave my men under another officer and go and take command of some of our men in another trench, thereby not seeing what actually happened to my own men. It is with great regret I must tell you that during the fight one of our men came up to me and said that Sergeant Bird had been killed. The blow was terrible to me, as he was one of my best men, and I thought so much of him. I had the opportunity at different times of knowing his worth, and I can truthfully say I never saw a braver man. I tender you my sincerest sympathy at this most trying time, but there is some consolation in knowing that if the above sad news is true, he died a noble death, and one that such a brave man as your son himself would have chosen. I would have written sooner only I have just recovered from wounds myself.”