LCpl Wayne Edwards RWF - 13th January 1993

LCpl Wayne Edwards RWF
(Attached to 1 Cheshire)

[img2=left]http://rwf-forum.co.uk//vBulletin/images/misc/poppy.jpg[/img2]LCpl Wayne Edwards was killed by crossfire between warring factions in Bosnia on Wednesday 13th January 1993. He was attached to 1 Cheshire as part of UNPROFOR. At the time of the incident he was the driver of the lead Warrior vehicle escorting an aid convoy through the town of Gornji Vakuf, where heavy fighting was taking place between Muslim and Croat forces. He was struck by a single round to the head and died at the scene of his injuries. He was the first British soldier to be killed in Bosnia.

Wayne was 26 years old, single and from Cefn Mawr Wrexham. He joined the 1st Battalion in 1986; he was a member of Delta Company. He had already completed a residential tour of Northern Ireland and later was part of the Battalion when the Berlin Wall fell. He had also served with the Staffordshire Regiment as a warrior driver, hence his attachment to the Cheshire Regiment.

It was noted in Y Ddraig Goch 1993, that “He was a very reliable and mature professional soldier. He was well liked by all members of the Battalion. His loss will be keenly felt throughout the regiment.”

His funeral, which took place in Wrexham, was possibly one of the largest in the town for many years, and it confirmed the respect and admiration that the town had for Wayne and his family, and the sorrow felt at his untimely death.

A memorial stone in Gornji Vakuf marks the spot where he was killed. In 1995 his old rifle company “Deltas” held a memorial service for Wayne at the stone. Since then, numerous groups of Royal Welchmen have made the journey to pay their respects to a sadly missed comrade.

After reading about the soldiers that were killed in Ireland it made me think of Wayne. It was a tragic time for his family which was felt throughout the village of Cefn Mawr. There was a dove cote built in his memory, which is situated at Ty Mawr Country Park. He will never be forgotten by the people of Cefn, his death affected us all.

I came to the Bn with Wayne from Lichfield and we were close friends. He was a really good bloke, and highly regarded by everyone in D Coy. It was a shame I could not make it to the funeral.
Sorry Mate..

The last time I worked with Wayne was with the 4th RWF Cadet Bn at a summer battle camp in Swynnerton, Staffordshire in the early 90s.

I went into the mess and there he was sitting by the bar. With the help of the RSM, I got Wayne assigned to help my Company out, and what followed was one of the funniest 2 week cadet camps I attended.

On one event we went on, we went to Leek for adventure training, and me with a bad right leg that would not bend, was just asking for trouble.
The OC of the Company had organized a days pony trekking, I can't ride, as I could not grip the horse with my legs. Meanwhile Wayne had bribed the stablemaid to give me the biggest headstrong horse they had, telling the girl I was a really good rider, and that me and him used to patrol on them in the Falklands!!

Well all day that bloody horse galloped everywhere, and when we got back to camp that night i walked like I had a cannon ball in my shorts, and Wayne nearly ****** himself laughing and kept taking the Micky all night.

That was the last time I saw Wayne before he was killed. I went to his funeral to pay my last respect to him, he was a good friend to me and all the boys who knew him well, I will not forget him.

Val

I visited Ty Mawr, country park yesterday where there is a dove cote built in memory of Wayne, it is in very good condition and a credit to the rangers who look after the park.

I live opposite the country park & Waynes mum lives just further up the road. I was at the cenotaph last sunday, I believe I was the only Royal Welch guy there, there was however an ex Cheshire who was in Waynes patrol, this guy also spent sometime with the Royal Welch in the late 80's I think, with him was a guy from the RRF who'd come down to keep him company.

I explained where the Dovecote was & also his grave. We then had a chat with his mum. The British Legion are planning a trip down to the Staffordshire Memorial in the new year.

Richie,

Im sure you are aware that Wayne's mother has had a really tough time. Having never got over the loss of Wayne, his sister Bridgette passed away very unexpectedly last year. She was a great girl, who ran 'The Queens' pub in Cefn Mawr, always life and soul of the party. I am mates with their step brother Gareth in Llangollen, and get to see Barbara and Johnny when I can. Obviously when I laid a wreath last week, I did so with Wayne very much in mind.

What a great lad and a good mate

For the lads who remember Eds, they will tell you a few stories, i had the privilege of knowing Wayne and his family as living close by in Plas Madoc. I was also extremely proud but very sad to carry Wayne's coffin at the funeral, with some great mates, and how we all held it together i will never know, sure he would of been proud boys.

A very sad occasion, but a great booze up, as he liked, I remember the night before the funeral in Cefn Mawr British Legion. I always stop at his grave when I'm home, unfortunately it looked like it needed a bit of attention when I last went.



RIP Mate. Never forgotten

I'll nip up & take a look at the grave.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rob 33

What a great lad and a good mate

For the lads who remember Eds, they will tell you a few stories, i had the privilege of knowing Wayne and his family as living close by in Plas Madoc. I was also extremely proud but very sad to carry Wayne's coffin at the funeral, with some great mates, and how we all held it together i will never know, sure he would of been proud boys.

A very sad occasion, but a great booze up, as he liked, I remember the night before the funeral in Cefn Mawr British Legion. I always stop at his grave when I'm home, unfortunately it looked like it needed a bit of attention when I last went.

RIP Mate. Never forgotten

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What more can be said. I was also at Eds funeral as part of the
funeral party from D Coy. I was in Australia on Remembrance Day
and went to the Cenotaph in Kings Park Perth. I wore my hackle and beret
with pride, and laid a wreath in memory of all the fallen heroes in all
conflicts. But i did say a special prayer for eds.

R.I.P Eds you will never be forgotten

Having served with Ed's at fallingbostel, attached to 1 Cheshire Regt, Ed's loss on that fatal day in BOSNIA 1993,was felt throughout the Cheshire's.He was well respected by all his peers, not a bad word was ever said about him.

Having seen Ed the day before his death & sharing a beer in VITEZ, sitting on top of my warrior & watching the on-going firefight in progress whilst having a laugh, wondering what everyone else was upto.

He is missed by everyone who knew & served with him. A great loss to the Bn & more importantly his family. NEVER FORGOTTEN.

Ed's RIP.

Now that British Troops are back in th Balkans , Let us rember Wayne (RWF) (1 Cheshires)
The 1st British Soldier that was a loss of life in the Balkans Campaign'
God Bles All
BTB

A fine soldier, rest in peace Wayne. John Riley

A fine soldier and a good friend. Rest in peace, Wayne

I first met wayne when i returned to 11plt it was in tern hill. and the first thing i noticed about him was his cheeky sens of humour. he was one of blokes you couldnt help liking a rare commodity these days . He often baby sat for me when we were in ballykinler and my lads thougt the world of him. many a night we would come back half cut to find the boys still up watching thomas tank engine and that it had been on for 4hrs how he didnt go nuts i dont know ?? . then it was off to tidworth when i saw him last it was unfortunut to be in the sun paper i seen his pic and and with out reading it fought you poser. then i read the head line soldier shot dead in bosnia. i was gob smacked a great lad killed with so much of his life ahead of him .my wife elayne burst in to tears when i went home for lunch because sean my eldest was saying wayns in the paper when can he look after us again and she just couldnt explain to them that he was dead.it was her first soldier friend of her husband to die on ops . then she smilled and said i hope thers no thomastank vids up there or he,ll haunt us so wayne if your lookin down mate im so sorry i left that bloody vid out god bless mate

I remember taking Waynes parents back to the spot where he was killed, it was a great honour for me to do so and a very sad occasion. I believe the visit was part paid for by the comedian Jim Davidson, who also visited the spot where Wayne was killed when he did a CSE show there. Remember there is also a Dove cote close to where Wayne used to live in Wrexham dedicated to him.

A great lad who liked a beer and would be seen at the same bar stool most nights in Berlin, if you go to his grave you will often see a can of beer put there by his mates.