Edmund De WIND. V.C. (Postumous) 2nd Lieutenant 15th Royal Irish Rifles. Previously Private 79152, 31st Canadian Expeditionary Force.
Born 11 December 1883 at Railway Street, Comber County Down Ireland Arthur Hughes De Wind, C.E., and Margaret Jane De Wind, nee Stone of "Kinvara", Comber, Co. Down, Ireland.
1901 with his parents and siblings at Castle Street, Comber
1 November 1911 Embarked from Bristol, England on ship, Royal George of the Royal Canadian Northern Steamships Limited to Montreal Canada.
He was killed in action 21 March 1918 near Grugies, France. Commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial, France.
His name is carved on a pillar on the West Front of Belfast St Anne’s Cathedral.
Notes for his Canadian Service Record
Joined 31st, Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force at Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Civilian occupation, Bank Clerk. Previously served for six months with the Queens Own at Toronto.
Letter from the Front written by him 1 November 1915. The letter at been transcribed by typing out.
“I am now in the Machine Gun Section of the 31st Battalion and like work very much and we have an awfully nice willing bunch of fellows in it. We have been in first and second line of trenches for over a month and at present are having a week’s rest in an old farm house near a village. Our buildings are pretty well intact, but is awful to see miles of trenches and sand-bags parapets all around. It will be two or three decades after the war before things are in any sort of good shape. It is beautiful, rich, mixed farming country, but a good lot of rain and fog in the fall apparently “ Sunny Alberta” will look mighty good again to those of us who are lucky enough to pull through”.
Embarked from Calgary, Alberta 12 May 1915 on SS Northland. Disembarked in England 29 May 1915 and taken to Canadian Army Camp, Shorncliffe, Kent.
29 July 1915 he was absent from Canadian training camp, Otterpool, Kent from about 9-30pm to 11am. He on was O.C. Orders 30th. Absent for 13hrs and 30min, sentenced, forfeits 2 days pay.
15 September 1915 embarked with his unit to France disembarking at Boulogne, 18/19 September.
17 October 1916 granted 8 days leave.
20 March 1917 he was transferred to attend cadet school with a view to obtaining a commission in the Imperial Army and posted to Alberta Regimental Depot in England. 6 June 1917 he was posted to 17 Officers Cadet Corps, Kinmel Park Canadian Camp, Rhyl, North Wales. 25 September 1917 he was discharged from 17th O.T.C. to Commission with the 17th Royal Irish Rifles.
Wills and Admin, Ancestry.
Edmund De WIND of Kinvard Comber County Down, 2nd Lieutenant 15th battalion Royal Irish Rifles died 21 March 1918 at St Quentin France. Probate Belfast to Catherine Anne Allen married woman. Effects £178 11s in England.
The London Gazette, dated 13 May 1919
V.C. Citation.
For most conspicuous bravery and self-sacrifice on the 21st March, 1918, at the Race Course Redoubt, near Grugies. For seven hours he held this most important post, and though twice wounded and practically single-handed, he maintained his position until another section could be got to his help. On two occasions, with two N.C.O.'s only, he got out on top under heavy machine gun and rifle fire, and cleared the enemy out of the trench, killing many. He continued to repel attack after attack until he was mortally wounded and collapsed. His valour, self-sacrifice and example were of the highest order.
