Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Edward Elson and his wife Ellen Mary, who was the daughter of William Date. Edwin was educated in Leicester and upon leaving obtained employment with Middlesex County Council. He volunteered for active servive and applying for a commission, was gazetted 2nd Lieutenant in the 9th Battalion Middlesex Regiment on the 29th September 1915, he served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from June 1916, being transferred to the 2nd/5th Battalion Lancashire Fuiliers in July 1916, he was killed in action by a sniper at Delville Wood, France on the 9th September 1916, where he was buried. Major J. D. Barnsdale wrote, “We all miss him greatly, and personally I realize the Battalion has lost a very keen and capable officer.” Edwin was unmarried.