Edwin Sellers 1916-1944 age 28

Barnsley Chronicle 1st July 1944
Thanks to Barnsley Archives

Born: 1916 in Barnsley Q2. 

Son of: Edwin Bygate Sellers (born in Rotherham 1891-1954, died age 63 in Carleton near Skipton) and Mabel Sellers nee Bennett (1892-1949 died age 59) They married in Barnsley in 1912 Q2 when Edwin Snr. was a colliery bywork man working underground at Rob Royd Colliery.

Husband of: Florence Ivy Isobel Sellers nee Hipkins (known as Ivy). Edwin and Ivy married in 1939 in Lambeth Registration district, London Q4 and had one daughter Elizabeth, born in Islington Registration District in 1944 Q1. 

Military Service: Edwin was a Lance Corporal in the Coldstream Guards, Service number 2655807.

Death: 18th June 1944 at Wellington Barracks, London. 

At 11.20 am on 18 June 1944 a V1 flying bomb hit the Guards Chapel, part of Wellington Barracks, on Birdcage Walk SW1, not far from Buckingham Palace. The church was packed with Guardsmen, their families and friends at a Parade service. The bomb exploded as it crashed through the roof, demolishing the chapel and caused large loss of life. 121 soldiers were killed and 141 other seriously injured.  The Band of the Coldstream Guards was playing that day and five musicians were killed and their Director of Music. Edwin was amongst them. Details can be found here.

Buried: Barnsley Cemetery Plot E, Grave 56. Whilst his home address on the cemetery record at the time of death is listed as 11 Claycliffe Terrace, Cranbrook Street, Barnsley, this would appear to be his parents address.  His grave bears the words

"May his reward 
Be as great 
As his sacrifice" 

Find a grave link: here 
Commonwealth War Graves Commission link: here  
Remembered: St Edward's WW2 Memorial plaque, Barnsley 

Note: The Barnsley Chronicle 1st July 1944 reported

Killed by enemy action

Barnsley Coldstream Guards Musician.

The funeral was at Barnsley of Lance Corporal Edwin Sellers (28) musician in the Coldstream Guards who was killed recently in London as result of enemy action. Lance 
Corpl Sellers was the son of Mr and Mrs E.B. Sellers, 11 Claycliffe Terrace, Cranbrook Street, Barnsley, and with his parents and his wife , 18 Chesterfield Road, West Finchley, London and their families, the deepest sympathy is felt in their tragic loss. Joining the Army at 16 soon after leaving Longcar Central School his instrument in the Coldstream Guards Band was the horn and he had the reputation of being a musician of outstanding ability. He had played with the band in all parts of Great Britain and abroad as solo horn and had figured in many of the famous London orchestras and with B.B.C. broadcasting combinations. Only the day before his death he was taking part in a broadcast. He was the winner of a London Trinity College Scholarship and had been awarded the King's Coronation Medal for his musical attainments. His brother Ellis, serving with the Royal Corps of Signals was in the evacuation from Dunkirk. 
He leaves a wife and one child. 
Before interment at Barnsley Cemetery, the coffin having been brought North, a service was conducted in St Edward's Church by the Rev. J Winston (vicar), assisted by the Rev. H. Griffiths (curate). The choir were in attendance, Mr W. Diggle being the organist. Among the floral tributes were wreaths from the Brigade of Guards and Coldstream Guards musicians. 


Research by James Corbett and Gill Brookes of St Edward's Church, Barnsley