2nd Lt E F Boyd 1st Northumberland Fusiliers
SECOND LIEUTENANT E. F. BOYD
IST BATTALION THE NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS
EDWARD FENWICK BOYD was the only son of Robert Fenwick Boyd (O.R., 1864-69), a Mining Engineer, and of Annie his wife. He entered the School in 1904, and was in the XV in 1908. He went to University College, Oxford, in 1909, obtained his Football Blue in 1912, and played for the Army v. Navy in 1914. He was gazetted to the Northumberland Fusiliers in February, 1912, and went out to France with the First Expeditionary Force in August, 1914, took part in the Retreat from Mons, and the Battles of the Marne and of the Aisne, and fell in action at Vailly-sur-Aisne, on September 20th, 1914. He was mentioned in Despatches of October 8th, 1914. Age 24.
His Colonel wrote:-
“I don’t know what you used to call your splendid son, but everyone in the Battalion always called him Edward, and by that name he will always be remembered as long as any of his comrades live. Edward’s is indeed a character to remember and to endeavour to copy; his splendid courage and coolness under fire, without the smallest touch of bravado or undue recklessness, marked him out as a born leader of men. Before this last action I had already recommended him for some recognition on account of his extremely courageous leading and devotion to duty in the field, and only a day or two before he was killed I personally saw him steadying his men in the trenches, under a terrific shell fire, as calmly as if he was on peace manoeuvres. It was a magnificent example of cool and dauntless courage, and I am thankful that I was privileged to see it and to thank him for the glorious example he set to all ranks. He is buried in a little cemetery in the N.W. corner of the town of Vailly, about a mile from where he fell.”
Source : Memorials Of Rugbeians Who Fell In The Great War Vol 1