Edwin George BIGGS

Further information

Edwin George Biggs was born in Devonport on 09 March 1896. He was the only son of George and Sarah Ann Biggs, and brother to Winifred Maud (born 19 July 1898).

His father George was in the army from 24 July 1884 until 18 September 1903 rising from Private to CS Major. He was mainly stationed in the UK apart from a posting in South Africa between 30/11/1899 and 26/06/1900.

At the time of the 1901 census Edwin George Biggs (aged 5) was living with his mother and sister at 71 Gildersome Street, Woolwich. His maternal grandmother Mary Ann Bonham was also living with them.

At the time of the 1911 census, Edwin George Biggs (aged 15) was living with both parents and his sister at 63 Princes Road, Plumstead (his grandmother died in 1902).

Military Service

Edwin George Biggs joined the Royal Navy on 15 April 1914 on a 12-year engagement.

He is described as 5ft 9 1/5” tall, 36” chest, brown hair, brown eyes, and fresh complexion.

Edwin George Biggs died on 02 May 1917 when HMS Derwent struck a contact mine, laid by German submarine UC-26, off Le Havre, France. She sank 2 cables north of Whistle Buoy at position 49°31′N 00°02′W with the loss of 58 officers and men.

The survivors included Lt Arthur Melville RNR, who had been lent to DERWENT. His memoir (written in 1926) records: "... we were blown up in Havre Roads and only myself and four ERAs were saved. I had only just seen the transports safely through the boom defence at Havre, and turned around to return to base, when the fore part of the destroyer was blown clean off. All the crew live in the fore part of a destroyer and there was not one man saved. The Gunner, who had relieved me a few minutes before, and the CO, who were both on the bridge, were both killed and some 80 of the crew. We had struck a mine. The rest of us, five in all, put the boat out and were picked up by another of our destroyers, the EXE of the same class." (source for this quote: http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/topic/61625-hms-derwent/)