April 6th 1916 Mary Redan Redoubt Edmund David Cook SWB

[Jez2528]

Pte Edmund David Cook 24970 came from Pontllanfraith, South Wales. He enlisted as a regular soldier initially into the 6th Dragoon Guards in late 1914. He entered theatre in 1915 with the South Wales Borderers having transferred at some point.
He fought through Gallipoli and then the Regiment entered the war in France. The 2nd Bn SWB were sent to the Somme region where they relieved the Yorkshires in the Mary Redan Trench on 4th April 1916. They were only there for 3 days before the Germans opened a ferocious barrage on the 6th April. Estimates reckon 5000 shells were fired over the course of an hour or so along the lines. The minenwerfer were particularly effective and destroyed the entire line of wire infront of the Mary Redan Redoubt. There followed a raid in which a number of SWBs were captured. At the end of the assault some 25 were killed or died of wounds. They are buried at the Mesnil Ridge Cemetery about 3/4 mile away in the slight valley below the Newfoundland Memorial Park.