| Frederick Jeremiah Edwards | |
|---|---|
| Born | 3 October 1894 Queenstown, County Cork |
| Died | 9 March 1964 (aged 69) Richmond, London, England |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/branch | British Army |
| Rank | Private |
| Unit | 12th Battalion, The Middlesex Regiment |
| Battles/wars | World War I - Battle of the Somme |
| Awards | Victoria Cross |
Frederick Jeremiah Edwards (1894 – 1964) was a British soldier, and recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award of the British Commonwealth for gallantry "in the face of the enemy", during the First World War.
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Edwards was born on 3 October 1894 in Queenstown, (now named Cobh), County Cork. He was 21 years old, and a private in the 12th Battalion, The Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own), British Army during the First World War, and was awarded the VC for his deeds on 26 September 1916 at Thiepval, France: part of the line was held up by machine-gun fire and all the officers had become casualties. There was confusion and indication of retirement. Private Edwards, grasping the situation and on his own initiative, dashed out towards the gun, which he knocked out with his bombs. This very gallant act, coupled with great presence of mind and disregard of personal danger, made further advance possible and cleared up a dangerous situation.
He was later promoted to corporal and after leaving the army he was forced to sell his medal to make ends meet. He died at Richmond, Surrey on 9 March 1964.
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the National Army Museum, Chelsea, England.
Edwards was portrayed by Adam Webb in the 2006 BBC docudrama The Somme - From Defeat to Victory
Listed in order of publication year