2Lt Edward Gordon Peecock

Edward was born in Brentwood, the son of Edward and Elizabeth Peecock. His father was a travelling salesman and the family lived in a house on Westbury Road. As a teenager he was sent to boarding school at All Saint's School, Bloxham.

During the first world war he joined the army and was sent to the Western Front as part of the 9th Battalion Royal Fusiliers. At the start of the Battle of the Somme on 1st July 1916 he was stationed in the Aveluy sector and by 5th July he had moved to the front line in front of Ovillers.

For the first two weeks of the Battle of the Somme there were constant attacks by the allies on German troops entrenched at Ovillers. The 9th Battalion Royal Fusiliers had their turn on 7th July, with Edward leading his men over the top against strong resistance and machine gun fire. It was in this duty that he was killed. Ovillers was finally captured by the allies a week later.

Edward's body was never found, but his name is recorded on the Thiepval Memorial.