Wakeman E O R 2nd Lt 1st Grenadier Guards
WAKEMAN, EDWARD OFFLEY ROUSE, 2nd Lieut. 1st Battn. Grenadier Guards, yr. s. of Sir Offley Wakeman, of Yeaton Peverey, Shrewsbury, and Rorrington Lodge, Chirbury, Shropshire, 3rd Bart., D.L., J.P., by his wife, Catherine, dau. of Sir Charles Henry Rouse Boughton, 11th Bart.; b. Downton Hall, near Ludlow, 15 Jan. 1889; educ. Eton, and St. John’s College, Oxford (B.A. 1912); was employed by the University in agricultural research and afterwards by the Board of Agriculture as Special Investigator, which position he resigned to join the Guards in Dec. 1914; was gazetted 2nd Lieut. 4 Jan. 1915; went to France in April and was killed in action at the Battle of Festubert, 16 May, 1915, while leading his platoon in an attack on the German trenches; unm.
He was buried on the field of battle near Richebourg l’Avoué. His Commanding Officer wrote: “He had been with us a short time but amply long enough for us and his company to realise that in him we have lost a man and a gallant officer, and a good comrade. He was killed in the way we all hope to be killed (if it is willed that we are to be), that is gallantly leading men of the Brigade of Guards.” Lieut. Wakeman was mentioned in F.M. Sir John (now Lord) French’s Despatch of 30 Nov. 1915 [ London Gazette, 1 Jan. 1916].
Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1