Edwin George Mullins

Story:
Edwin George Mullins was born on 1st October, 1889 at Donhead St. Mary, Wiltshire, and baptised at St Rumbolds Church, Cann, Shaftesbury on 3rd November, 1889. He was the son of George Richard Stephen Mullins, a Jobmaster, and Ellen Rosa Mullins (nee Gamlin). At the time of the 1911 Census Edwin was boarding at the Half Moon Inn, Cann, Shaftesbury working as a cab driver. He enlisted in Shaftesbury on 31 Aug 1914 and joined the 5th Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 10354).  He remained the the UK until posted to the Balkans Region on 1 Jul 1915 and was involved in the Gallipoli campaign following which his unit was transferred to the Somme Region in France on 3 Jul 1916 by then Edwin held the rank of Lance Corporal.  He went missing and was presumed killed in action on 26th September 1916 his name appearing on the Theipval Memorial, Somme, France (Pier & Face 7 B).  He was awarded the Victory and British War Medals as well as the 1915 Star.  He is remembered on the Park Walk War Memorial and on the Holy Trinity Memorial, now in St. Peter's Church, Shaftesbury.  Of his brothers, Frank Mullins also served but survived.  (There is correspondence on his military record that shows his brother, Harry Mullins, had received his medals unbeknown to his mother.  One wonders if the matter was resolved in the family!)