Edward James was born on July 29th 1887 to Thomas and
Mary(nee Sunderland) Tobin of Rathcash Paulstown Kilkenny.
His father's occupation was a Labourer.
We next see Edward James in the 1901 Census living with
his parents and 3 siblings and his mothers brother at
Kellymount, Shankill, Kilkenny.
Edward James next appears joining the 5th Militia Battalion
of the Regiment in Kilkenny on 29th November 1903. He
gave his age as 17 years and 6 months. Interestingly
his attestation papers are signed by a Major Panter-Downes
who was killed on 26th August 1914 in the retirement
from Mons by the 2nd Battalion.
We see from his attestation papers that Edward James
was 5 feet 6 and 5/8 inches tall, weighed 150 pounds
(68 kg), with a chest measurement of 38 and 1/2 inches.
A healthy lad of the time.
He had a fresh complexion, brown eyes and brown hair
and no distinguishing marks.
He was present for annual training in 1904, 1905 and
1906 and his conduct was very good whilst in the Militia.
Edward James joined the regular army(Royal Irish Regiment)
in Naas County Kildare on the 7th January 1907.
He next appears on the 1911 Census of the 2nd Battalion
of the Regiment in Guernsey.
Guernsey obviously agreed with him as at some stage
in 1914(Jan-Mar) prior to the beginning of World War
One we see he married Una M Queripel of Guernsey in
St.Pancras, London.
We see from his Medal Index Card that he was with the
first draft of the 2nd Battalion that entered France
on 13th August 1914.
Having been involved in action at Mons, the battalion
was next involved in action at Audencourt and Caudry.The
companies of the battalion were positioned in and around
the small village of Audencourt, to the east of the
town of Caudry. The Germans were attacking in strength
from the north and the British were heavily outnumbered.
C and D companies came under constant rifle and machine
gun fire throughout the day. They failed to receive
the general order to retire at 4.45pm and were soon
surrounded on three sides. Very few of these men escaped,
with most being killed, wounded or taken prisoner.
Private Edward Tobin was one of those captured in this
incident. Major Panter-Downes suffered a mortal stomach
wound in this action.
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The Dublin Daily Express has him listed as one of many
from the Regiment missing in its edition of 17th December
1914.
From his Prisoner of War Cards we know he
was interned at Sennelager PoW camp in December 1914.
By February 1915 he was in Limburg POW camp.
He is listed as being a Prisoner of War in the Irish Independent
of 5th April 1915.
At some stage Edward James developed tuberculosis for
the next record he is mentioned in is from November 1916-January
1917 where he is listed as being in the hospital at Minden(Holzminden)
PoW camp having being transferred from Limburg.
Shortly after this we see he has been transferred to Switzerland
prior to repatriation. His Swiss PoW record is dated 13th
December 1916 and he is listed as being in Leysin internment
camp on 17th January 1917. This was a camp specifically
for TB sufferers of the British forces.
Unfortunately Edward James never made it home.
His death certificate shows he died of tuberculosis and
is buried in Vevey(St.Martins) Cemetery, Switzerland.
He was 29 years of age when he died.
UPDATED INFORMATION: His
wife was originally Una Queripel and her incredible journey
began when she married Irish soldier Edward Tobin, who
was garrisoned at Fort George, Guernsey.
During the First World War Edward was wounded and went
missing. Una found out via the Red Cross that he was a
PoW somewhere in Germany, but letters between them over
the next few years were infrequent. Then in March 1917,
she learned that Edward was gravely ill in Switzerland.
Desperate to see him, Una set off alone and travelled
across war-torn Europe to be with him before he died.
Many years later she remarried becoming Una May Queripel
Ferguson of 24 Paris Street, St Peter Port.
REST IN PEACE. VIRTUTIS NAMURCENSIS
PRAEMIUM
© 2021 Robert Reid
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