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Local Information:
Edward Dugdale D'Oyley Astley was born on the 18th November 1896 and was the only son of Henry and Catherine D'Oyley Wolvey Astley. His father was a solicitor and Town Clerk
in Hungerford. Edward was educated at Charterhouse from 1910 to 1914.
On the outbreak of the First World War he joined his county Regiment, the Royal Berkshire Regiment. After carrying out his officer training he was posted to the 3rd (Militia)
Battalion on the 27th July 1915 were he carried out further training prior to his deployment to a front line battalion. As a non regular officer the learning curve was very steep but by October 1916 he
was considered ready. He was posted to the 1st Battalion joining them in France as a special reserve Second Lieutenant.
As soon as he arrived at the battalion he heard of the death in action of another Hungerford man Maurice Hissey. He wrote the following to his aunt Mary in a letter dated 27th
October 1916:
From Captain Astley to his Aunt Mary (Mary Hissey) regarding the death in action of Lieutenant Maurice Hissey of the 2nd Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment.
"I heard that Maurice had been killed in action last night in a letter from one of his fellow captains in our 2nd battalion"………."I know very little of how
Maurice was killed but I do know that it was leading his company in the attack across the open in which the 2nd battalion took part just lately somewhere south of the river Ancre."
[Maurice Hissey was another Hungerford soldier killed in action on the 26th October 1916 – He is also commemorated on the war memorial]
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Regimental Information:
On his arrival in October 1916 at the 1st Battalion he was thrown in at the deep end and was immediately deployed in front line actions as the Brigade and Battalion dairies
recorded. Although not a regular officer it is clear that he quickly adjusted to life in the trenches and front line service. He first came to prominence when he was mentioned in dispatches for
taking command of a party in an attack on Munich Trench after their commander Lieutenant Stoneham had been killed.
He was soon promoted, and by March 1918 was a Captain and Company Commander. Very little information is available for this period, but his activities can be tracked via the
Brigade and Battalion War Diaries.
Brigade Report on action in the Hebuterne sector 14.11.1916:
On arrival at Munich Trench just North of Crater Lane, the leading wave, some 10 to 15 strong, forced
their way through a gap in the wire, which was still intact in parts, and jumped into Munich Trench, under 2nd Lts Astley and Stoneham – the latter officer was killed and some of his men. 2nd Lt
Astley saw some Germans on the steps of a dug out who at once held up their hands. Leaving two men to guard them he went south along the trench to gain touch with his comrades but found no-one. He then
went back to his men, but by this time, our barrage having lifted off the trench, a number of Germans came out of their dugouts, and commenced bombing and shooting, so he got back out of the trench and
collected about 20 of his men (2nd Wave) who were some 20 to 50 yards in the rear of he trench with a view of again going forward. About this time the Germans got into their fire steps in considerable
numbers, began moving down crater lane, and opened a heavy frontal and flanking fire on our men, whose strength rendered their position untenable, so they worked their way back and got into Crater Lane,
east of its junction with Wagon Road where they formed a block. For this action Astley was awarded a Mention in Dispatches.
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1st Battalion War Diary 20 December 1916:
Company training. Visited by GOC 5th Army (Lieut General Gough). Lieuts Lynch, Lavers, Astley and Musk on leave.
1st Battalion War Diary 7 May 1917:
CAPT BISHOP, 2/LT ASTLEY, 2/LT DENHAM and 32 OR's rejoined the Battn from XIII Corps training depot. 122 OR's joined the
Battn as reinforcements.
1st Battalion War Diary 17 May 1917:
Working parties and training as on 14/7/17. 2/Lt ASTLEY and 2/Lt KING went on 3 days leave to PARIS.
1st Battalion War diary 28 March 1918:
During the morning thorough inspections were carried out and an attempt was made to organize into 2 companies (A with B
and C with D), and to ascertain our actual casualties, but before this was completed we were ordered to provide 2 companies, each 130 strong, as part of a composite Battn of the 99th Infantry Brigade.
They were hurriedly made up, one, (C) under command of Lieut ASTLEY and the other (D) under Lieut CROSBIE and the two companies moved off after dinner through ENGELBELMER to a position under AVELUY WOOD,
N of MARTINSART, which was held all this night and next day. Lt Col WINTER D.S.O (23/RF) was in command. At 4 pm the remainder of the Battn moved back to LEALVILLERS where 1st line Transport was
established. Today the long spell of fine weather, which has been so favourable to the enemy plans, broke up and heavy rain fell during the afternoon and night. [Captain Astley was promoted to the rank
of Captain on this day]
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