WS/Sergeant Robert Foxall, EDWARDS (5255506)
Bob Edwards as he was known was recommended by Lieut.-Col. A. W. N. L. Vickers on the 3rd February 1945 for an immediate Military Medal.
Military Medal (London Gazette date 12th April 1945)
“Sergeant EDWARDS is Pioneer Platoon Sergeant. During the period 11th – 27th January 1945 at TRIPSRATH his platoon was required to clear a considerable area of mines as an essential preliminary to a combined tank/infantry attack on HOVEN. This task was done by night, often under fire and at times well forward of the FDLs. Extreme cold not only made mine lifting a difficult, but with 75s, an extremely hazardous operation. On the 26th January 1945, his Platoon Commander was killed while clearing. Sergeant Edwards, who was present, rallied the party and completed the task.
The following day, he accompanied a patrol leading the way through an area infested with anti-personnel and schü mines, and booby traps.
In assuming command at a critical time, and in his grim determination to succeed, he so inspired his pioneers that their highly dangerous task was completed on time.”
Note: Although the citations states that his Platoon Commander (Lieut. John Patrick Allum) was killed on the 26th January 1945, he was in fact killed 2 days earlier on the 24th January.
Bob Edwards was born in 1916 at Cleehill, Ludlow, Shropshire. He joined the Worcestershire Regiment shortly after war broke out and did his army training at Norton Barracks (during the time of the Dunkirk landings). He then joined the 8th Battalion and was involved with training new recruits. After several moves he eventually ended up in Yorkshire where he was in a Pioneer Platoon. In 1944 he was sent to Germany to join the 1st Battalion as a mine lifter, after a couple of weeks his pioneer sergeant had his foot blown off by a mine so Bob had to replace him and was given the rank of Pioneer Sergeant.
After the war he returned to Scott's funeral directors in Birmingham he stayed there until he retired. He died in Hospital on the 17th January 2009, age 92.
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