Edwin was born in Pluckley, Kent in 1892, the sixth child of Jessie and Frances Pile. George was one of two sons from the family killed in World War One, the other being George.
In the 1911 Census George and his brothers Stephen and Harry were living with their parents Jessie and Frances at Thorne, Pluckley near Ashford. Edwin, aged 19, was a shop assistant.
Edwin was one of a band of local men who, at the suggestion of Doctor Waite and the Rector of his home village of Pluckley, joined the Territorial Force in the neighborhood. After joining Edwin went to Kamptee in India with the 5th Buffs. He regularly wrote to the Rector of Pluckley about his war experiences. His last letter read –
“The men are very determined to give a good show to Johnny Turk. We feel no fear and we are going onwards with a brave heart leaving the issue to God”.
On the 6th January 1916 a signal came from Kut saying that large numbers of Turkish troops were moving downstream of the River Tigris towards Sheikh Saad. An aircraft spotted the troops entrenching both sides of the river. The Tigris Corps of which the Buffs was part of moved to meet the enemy. The 5th battalion attacked the Turk positions head on and by nightfall it became obvious the attack could not succeed. The next day 7th January the Buffs alongside The Black Watch and The Seaforth Highlanders were again ordered to attack in strength. As the British moved forward under heavy fire the Turks attempted to encircle the Tigris Corps. By nightfall the position remained stalemate. It was later discovered that the Turks had withdrawn upstream. British Army casualties at Sheikh Saad were over 4,000 men.
