Edward Mullen

Killed in Action on the 16/06/1915 at the 1st Battle of Bellewaarde

Edward and the Battalion arrived at Le Havre on the 14/08/1914 and were part of the 9th Brigade, 3rd Division when Edward fell (the Brigade was attached to 28th Division between the 17th February and the 2nd April 1915). Edward was Killed in Action at the First Attack on Bellewaarde on the 16/06/1915 : At the close of the Battles of Ypres, the German trenches between the Menin Road and the Ypres-Roulers railway formed a salient. Behind their front lines lay the Bellewaarde Ridge and the lake, the former giving the enemy good observation over our lines. Hooge, at the southern point of this salient, lay battered and ruined between the opposing lines; while just south of the Ypres-Roulers railway the eastern edges of Railway Wood were held by the enemy, and the western edges by British troops of the 3rd Division. Early in June it was decided to attack the salient, and, if possible, gain possession of the ridge; the attack was to be carried out by the 9th Brigade of the 3rd Division. The attacking troops for the first phase were (from right to left) the 4th Royal Fusiliers, 1st Royal Scots Fusiliers and the 5th Fusiliers. As soon as the German front was taken the Royal Fusiliers were to bomb down the trench from Y.16 to Y.17, while the Royal Scots Fusiliers, in conjunction with the 5th Fusiliers, were to seize the hostile trench lying between Y.13 and Y.15 and the second objective, the 5th Fusiliers pushing their bombing parties on towards Y.7. Edward was slightly wounded twice. He was home only once, in December 1914 recovering from his 2nd wound. Edward served some time in South Africa and at Christmas in 1914 he had said that it had been "a mere skirmish compared to the present war". He wrote on the back of a photo "pray for me while I'm away for I don't think you will ever see me again". Edward is listed as MULLAN on the Coatbridge Memorial. A huge thank you to Marion Wason for all her help regarding Edward's family and his Marriage Certificate. Edward is also remembered in the St. Augustine's Parish (book) Roll of Honour. See photos for Edward's Medal Index Card, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, the 1911 England Census (regarding 1st Battalion R.S.F in South Africa), his CWGC Grave Registration, his name on the Menin Gate Memorial Panel List, his name on the Menin Gate Memorial, Edward's Pension Records x 4 and the Royal Scots Fusiliers Cap Badge.