When I produced the booklet about those with a connection to Hook Norton who lost their lives during the Great War it proved to be relatively easy owing to the existence of the records in one form or another. However, in the case of those who fought and survived it is a bit more of a challenge to find out about them.
Edwin Thomas Rixon is one such man. Although he was born in Watlington in 1897 he lived in the village for a few years owing to his father’s employment. Edwin was living at The Stables at Little Tew Lodge when the 1901 census was taken. His father, Tom, was a 36 year old groom and domestic gardener while his mother, Mary, was2 8. Edwin was 3 at the time.
Fast forward to 1911 and we find Tom a licensed victualler living at the Pear Tree with his wife and Edwin now an ironmonger’s assistant. By then Tom and Mary had been married for 15 years with Mary having given birth to two further sons, Vallence in 1904 and John Henry in 1909.
The two younger sons were, of course, under age when WW1 was declared in 1914. However, Edwin had no illusions about joining up as his attestation papers dated 26 April 1915 testify. He gave his address as The Wheatsheaf Inn where the family had moved since the last census. Tom was now the licensee there. Whilst the Pear Tree was, and still is, a Hook Norton Brewery pub the Wheatsheaf was a Hopcraft and Norris brewery pub. Did they pay more than Hooky or was it a better pub to manage?
After basic training Edwin joined 1/4th Battalion of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. This was a Territorial Force and had been formed in Oxford shortly after the declaration of war. The battalion War Diary can be found online and this records the activities both on the front line and also during the periods when it was held in reserve. At the end of September 1916 the fighting strength of the battalion was 1047, made up of 31 officers and 976 other ranks. During his time in France Edwin was wounded twice.
The War Diary entry for 22 November 1917 said that preparations were underway for a journey to an unknown destination, presumably Italy. On 24 November they had been travelling by train all day the highlight being at St Amour when French ladies distributed mistletoe along the train. The battalion was moved in two trains the men of both having arrived in Asigliano by 30 November. The war diary commented that no men of horses were lost on the journey.
Christmas Day 1917 was spent at Tezze where they enjoyed “a very jolly Christmas” with many dinners of pork and plum puddings officially provided and a lot more unofficially obtained!
The start of 1918 saw the battalion carrying out patrols and exercises with a view to a further onslaught on the enemy forces later in the year. This was to an extent concentrated on the Asiago Plateau about 80 miles north west of Venice. On 10 September part of the battalion carried out a raid capturing 3 machine guns while suffering slight casualties. The raid started at 4am and by 6.30am the men were having breakfast! For his part Edwin was one of many from the battalion who were awarded the Military Medal. In addition he was also presented with the Italian Cross (Croce di Guerra) by the King of Italy. At the presentation the King commented that, at 21, he was young to have been awarded this decoration.
After the armistice Edwin returned home to Oxfordshire and settled back into civilian life. Whilst his parents and siblings continued to live in the Wheatsheaf (1921 Census) he was in Banbury boarding with the Garrett family at 4 Compton Street which is where Hilliers Garden Centre is today. He was employed as a carpenter with Hunt Edmunds, the brewers.
Edwin was a keen cyclist turning out for Banbury Star CC in the 1920s breaking many local records and collecting over 40 trophies and medals. He also married Gertrude Ellen Taylor on 4 July 1927. They set up home at Compton Street prior to moving to 6 Addison Road also in Banbury. The couple did not have any children but became very much part of the local community.
Not long after the start of WW2 a register was taken of those living in the UK which was in part to be used for the distribution of ration cards. Edwin and Gertrude were still in Addison Road, however, there were two others in the household. One was John Leary who was born in 1926 while the other person’s record is still officially closed. Perhaps John and possibly a sibling were evacuees that Edwin and Gertrude had taken in. The evacuation had started on 1 September 1939.
Too old for active service Edwin did his bit by joining the Home Guard eventually receiving a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant. A far cry from his experiences in France and Italy.
Edwin joined the RAOB – Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes a charitable organisation in a similar vein to Rotary Clubs. The Banbury Advertiser of 4 January 1950 noted that the group had held a slightly belated Christmas party. Edwin sang and told stories while Gertrude played the piano. He was also involved with the Banbury Auto Club.
They remained in Addison Road for a considerable number of years before Edwin’s death in January 1983. Gertrude survived him by 12 years dying near Bicester in 1995.
All in all Edwin was a man who served his country with distinction during the Great War and also doing his bit in WW2. He also was a stalwart of the community in between the wars and afterward. Whilst his connection to Hook Norton was short-lived he achieved much and was highly regarded after he moved away.