A Keighley Yorkshire Police Constable 'Body Found in Stream' Great War 'Casualty' medal group of 3 with Silver War Badge: Constable Edgar Briggs, West Riding Constabulary late 3rd Battalion Coldstream Guards

- 1914-15 Star (15638 L.Cpl. E. Briggs. C. Gds:)
- British War Medal. Silver issue (15638 Pte. E. Briggs. C. Gds.
- Interallied Victory Medal (15638 Pte. E. Briggs. C. Gds.
- Silver War Badge (B226634)

Twice Wounded-in-Action: Lance Corporal Edgar Briggs is confirmed being 'Wounded-in-Action', in France, on, two occasions. Firstly, on 15 September 1916 with 'Shrapnel Wounds' to head and right knee, and secondly on, 16 November 1916, by 'Gunshot & Shrapnel Wounds', that resulted in a compound fracture of his right shoulder with a further wound to his left thigh. As a result of the severity of these latter wounds he was placed on the 1st Ambulance Train

Body Found Drowned in Stream: Edgar Briggs, like his father before him, became a Police Constable serving in the West Riding Constabulary, who died in service under peculiar circumstances in 1939. The Yorkshire Observer issue of 2 February 1939. contained a captioned portrait photograph of Constable Briggs, together with the below following article:

Quote,

BODY FOUND IN RIVER

CONSTABLE WHO VANISHED

END OF KEIGHLEY MYSTERY

The mystery surrounding the disappearance of Police-constable Edgar Briggs, of Edensor Road, Keighley, a member of the West Riding Constabulary, was solved yesterday when his body was recovered from the River Aire at Stockbridge.

About 4.30 a youth named, Ernest Shore, of 30, Low Well Street, Keighley, was walking along the river bank when noticed a body in the water near the dyeworks. He informed the police, and about an hour later Police-constables Hargreaves and Wolfenden recovered the body and recognised it as that of their colleague. A sad circumstance in the tragedy is that Hargreaves and Briggs were close personal friends.

MISSING OVER A WEEK

Constable Briggs disappeared on the morning of 22 January. Wholly engaged on orderly duties at the Keighley Divisional Headquarters, he came on duty at 6.30 that morning, and, after conversing with members of the office staff, went out, ostensibly to follow his duties.

Some time later he was missed, and up to the discovery yesterday not a trace of had been found.

Very popular among his colleagues, Constable Briggs had suffered a great deal of ill-health of late. During the war he served with the Coldstream Guards, and joined the West Riding Police in January, 1919.

Before going to Keighley ten years ago, he was stationed at Carcroft in the Doncaster Division.

Unquote.

Latterly an Officer in the West Riding Constabulary, he went missing in early 1939. His body was sadly found in the River Aire at Stockbridge, some days after his disappearance had been noted, and an open verdict was given at the Inquest. It appears he had been suffering with illness and loss of memory in the previous period of time but the Coroner could not be certain it was a suicide

Medals and Silver War Badge verification: All medals and Silver War Badge confirmed as entitled per the respective campaign medal rolls of Coldstream Guards and Silver War Badge roll as cited below:

- 1914-15 Star: WO 329/2605 (entered France 2 November 1915 / discharged 24 February 1919)
- British War Medal. Silver issue: WO 329/616
- Interallied Victory Medal: WO 329/616
- Silver War Badge (B226634): WO 329/3028 (shown as enlisted 4 March 1915 / GSW shoulder)

Edgar Briggs son of George Briggs (a village Police Constable) and Sarah Briggs (nee Helm) was a native of Hampsthwaite, Harrogate, Yorkshire, England where he was born circa 1898. During the Great War he served with the 3rd Battalion Coldstream Guards, serving in theatre of war 'France & Flanders' with the British Expeditionary Force, from, 2 November 1915. During 1916, he was twice wounded-in-action frstly, on, 15 September 1916 with 'Shrapnel Wounds' to head and right knee, and secondly on, 16 November 1916, by 'Gunshot & Shrapnel Wounds', that resulted in a compound fracture of his right shoulder with a further wound to his left thigh. As a result of the severity of these latter wounds he was placed on the 1st Ambulance Train. He was eventually discharged in February 1919. Latterly a police constable in the West Riding Constabulary, he married Florence Mary Piper in the Doncaster district during the third quarter of 1922. While serving with the West Riding Constabulary, at Keighley, Edgar went missing on, 22 January 1939, and some days later his body was sadly found in the River Aire at Stockbridge and an open verdict was given at the Inquest. It appears he had been suffering with illness and loss of memory in the previous period of time, but the Coroner could not be certain it was a suicide.

Sold with a quantity of copied research

The Great War medals all fitted with and retaining their original silk 'moire' ribands as issued

A poignant medal group of considerable local history interest pertaining to Keighley and Hampsthwaite, and the West Riding Constabulary

Condition: GVF

Code: 23075