David Ronald Edwards – Royal Navy, H.M.S. Impregnable

Boy 2^nd Class David Ronald Edwards – Royal Navy, H.M.S. Impregnable

Birth and Family Background

David Ronald Edwards was born in 1902 in Swansea, the son of David John Edwards and Kezia Edwards. Surviving census material relating directly to David is limited, but his family background places him firmly within the working-class maritime community from which many boys entered naval service during the First World War.

Naval Service

David enlisted in the Royal Navy as a Boy 2^nd Class, one of the youngest categories of naval service, intended for boys typically between the ages of 15 and 17 who were undergoing training prior to full naval enlistment. He was posted to H.M.S. Impregnable, a ship used primarily for training young naval recruits.

H.M.S. Impregnable

H.M.S. Impregnable was not a front-line warship during the First World War but served as a training and accommodation ship for boy sailors. Originally launched as the ironclad battleship H.M.S. Howe in the 1860s, she was later converted and renamed Impregnable for use as a training establishment at Devonport.

By the time of the war, Impregnable played a crucial role in preparing young recruits for naval life, teaching seamanship, discipline, gunnery basics, and physical training. Conditions aboard such training ships could be harsh, and infectious diseases were a persistent risk, particularly among younger sailors living in close quarters.

Death

British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records

According to the British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, David Ronald Edwards died on 29^th October 1918 at Plymouth from pneumonia and empyema, illnesses that were common and often fatal during the final year of the war, especially among young servicemen weakened by training demands and wartime conditions.

His death occurred only weeks before the Armistice, highlighting the continued toll of disease even as the conflict drew to a close.

Burial and Commemoration

David Ronald Edwards
Weston Mill Cemetery, Plymouth
credit - findagrave

David Ronald Edwards is buried at Weston Mill Cemetery, Plymouth, where many naval personnel who died in service or training were laid to rest. His grave stands as a reminder of the youngest members of the Royal Navy who served during the First World War and whose sacrifices extended beyond the battlefield.