BORN HULL 1897. KNOWN AS EDGAR BORRILL. SON OF EDWIN BORRILL (1873-1955) & SARAH ALICE BLAKELEY (1875-1959), OF 2, YORK TERRACE, BRIGHT STREET, HULL (WAR PENSION ADDRESS) AND 50, BRIGHT STREET, HOLDERNESS ROAD, HULL (CWGC ADDRESS). SON OF A SAWMILL LABOURER. HE HAD FOUR BROTHERS – BENJAMIN (1896-1961), EDWIN (1903-1964), NORMAN (1911-1974) AND KENNETH BORRILL (1915- 1993) AND ONE SISTER, MARGARET (MAGGIE) (1901-1988).
HE WORKKED FOR RECKITTS AS A JOINER & ELECTRICIAN, JOINING THE HULL BASED COMPANY ON 21/09/1911. HE HAD WON EVENING CLASS PRIZES AND WAS MENTIONED IN THE RECKITT’S MAGAZINE.
HE ENLISTED IN HULL. POSTED TO FRANCE ON 25/02/1915. SERVED AS LANCE CORPORAL, IN THE SHERWOOD FORESTERS. KILLED IN ACTION, ON 29/09/1917, AGED 19. THE BATTALION WAR DIARY READS AS FOLLOWS ON 26/09/1917 –
“2/8th Battn. The Sherwood Foresters, War Diary, September 1917 Appendix A.
The Battalion moved off from the Old British Front Line about 11pm, 25th inst., to the Position of Assembly, just behind the position of assembly of the 2/7th Bn. Sherwood Foresters, i.e. West of SCHULER GALLERIES.
Zero was 5.50 a.m. 26th inst., when the whole attack moved forward. The 2/7th Bn. Sherwood Foresters were detailed to take the ground as far East as FOKKER FARM. The 2/8th Bn. were then to pass through and take the ground as far east as RIVERSIDE. The Battalion area was divided into three portions.
The Battalion formed up, “C” Coy in front, then “D” Coy, “A” Coy and then “B” Coy.
“C” Coy. were detailed to go through and capture the second portion of the ground, their line being as far East as TORONTO. “D” Coy were to go through and capture the remainder of the ground. “A” Coy to follow the attack closely to give assistance where necessary. “B” Coy, consisting of one platoon, to remain West of the road running North and South just West of TORONTO and act as Local Reserve. The other two platoons acted as carrying parties.
The attack went entirely according to programme, all objectives were taken to time.
About 7 o’clock in the evening a German counterattack developed, which forced a little back the Division on the left, also the Battalion on the right, on our front it was broken by the Artillery fire, and our men did not give at all.”
EDGAR BORRILL IS COMMEMORATED AT THE TYNE COT MEMORIAL, BELGIUM TO THE MISSING (PANEL 99-102). HIS NAME IS ALSO RECORDED ON THE RECKITTS WW1 BOYS CLUB ROLL OF HONOUR.
HIS ARMY EFFECTS WERE LEFT TO HIS FATHER, EDWIN. HIS MOTHER RECEIVED A WEEKLY WAR PENSION OF 8 SHILLINGS, AWARDED ON 17/04/1918, FOR THE LOSS OF HER SON. HIS ELDER BROTHER, BENJAMIN BORRILL, ALSO SERVED IN THE WAR.
A photograph of Lance Corporal Thomas Edgar Borrill (1897-1917), service no. 30938, 2/8th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters (Notts Derby Regt.), before the War just after he started at the Reckitt Sons Company in Hull. http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/gwa/item/8431?CISOBOX=1&REC=3
