Parents: John (Head) Occupation:?, age 46, Abergstwith, Cardiganshire, Wales and Ruth Edwards, age 42. Daughter, Ann age 17, Hannah L. age 11. Sons: David J. age 10 and Philip S. age 7, William T., age 5. Ruth and children were all born in Glamorgan, Swansea.  All spoke Welsh and English. They lived at Independent Chapel, known as a Sunday School, Weig, Cockett, Swansea.¹

Parent: Ruth Edwards, widow, age 50, Sons: David James, single, an Coal Miner Assistant repairer, age 20, Philip Stanley, A Coal Miner Hewer, age17, William Thomas, Coal Cleaner above ground, age 15, Parents: Olivers Edwards, son in law, a Coal Miner Hewer, age 24, Born, Brynamonon, Carmarthen and Hannah Elizabeth Edwards age 22, Married 1 year, Daughter:  Olive Iris Edwards age 1 month, Born, Cockett, Glamorgan, Wales. They lived at Morgan’s Row, Fforestfach, Swansea.²

Philip Stanley Edwards, born 22nd August 1891, Swansea, Wales.  Next of Kin?  Mrs R. Edwards. Trade or Calling? Mines.  Are you married? No. Signed at Valcartier, 23rd September 1914.³

Rank: Acting Corporal , Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, “Died of wounds” ( Gunshot Wound Head), at No. 1 Canadian General Hospital, Etaples.^{4, 5 & 6}

“Two Fforestfach young men, in the persons of Messrs. Philip Edwards and David Rees figue I the ranks of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, who are just now completing their training.  Both went to Canada some months ago, and were granted leave these last few days in order to visit Fforestfach.  They are two good specimens of the sort of men required to face the foe.”⁸

"A CANADIAN SOLDIER'S EXPERIENCES.
(Special to the “Leader" and Passed by, Censor.)
"I have had my desire in getting to the front," writes Private Philip Edwards, of the Canadian Force, to a friend in Fforestfach, where he lived before journeying to the Dominion, "but I must say it is not much like what I thought it would be. I have seen death in its most terrible form, and a man gets to feel contempt for death. "I could not describe what it means to be under fire, as a man has no time to think much. He simply has to keep low, and see he doesn't get left. The shelling is the worst phase of this war; one feels, like a rat in a trap when they burst all round him. We have had to stand a lot of shelling here, but our artillery is superior to theirs and soon quiets them. "Another thing about this war which makes it unique is that the battle never ends. We go to the trenches and then back in reserve, and later in again. We are always under fire. The last trip I had was hell indeed. The trench was almost knee-deep with water, and as it snowed it was terribly cold."⁹

“FFORESTFACH
Private Philip Edwards, Canadian contingent, has just arrived home for a short leave of absence, crossing to Canada’s fair domain about three years ago, he joined the colours shortly after the outcome of war, crossing the Atlantic with the first batch.  He was invalided home some time ago in conscequence of shrapnel wound , and upon re-entering the war zone became a bomb thrower.  In spite of his experiences, Pte, Edwards looked remarkably fit.
Trooper Huxtable, 4th Cavalry Brigade, 6th Dragoon Guards, is making satisfactory progress at Colchester Hospital.”¹⁰

“THE SUPREME SACRIFICE.
Mrs. Edwards, Gendros, has received an official notification to the effect that her son, PTE. Philip Edwards, Canadian Contingent, had died in consequence of wounds sustained on the 18th inst.  A few years previous to the outbreak of war, Pte. Edwards left the locality for Canada’s fair domain, where he was employed as a miner.  Hearing his country’s call he donned his khaki and crossed the Atlantic with the first draft.  He had been invalided home on two occasions owing to wounds.  O f a studious disposition, he had attended the local mining classes with a marked measure of success.”¹¹

SOURCE
¹ 1901 Census Wales, 2 pages.
² 1911 Census Wales
³ Attestation Paper, Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force
⁴ Canada War Graves Register 1914-1918
⁵ Canada, Soldiers of the First World War, 1914-1918
⁶ Canada, War Graves Registers (Circumstances of Casualty), 1914-1918
⁷ Commonwealth War Graves Commission
⁸ Cambrian Daily Leader 13.11.1914
⁹ Daily Leader 22.04.1915
¹⁰ Cambrian Daily Leader 21.01.1916
¹¹ Cambrian Daily Leader 30.09.1916