David John Edwards (junior), known as "Tal" was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal in World War 2.
Distinguished Conduct Medal
Citation for Distinguished Conduct Medal
Name: David John EDWARDS
Army No. & Rank: 3907548 W/Sgt
Unit: 2/South Wales Borderers
1944
Action for which recommended
On the night of 26/27th July at CROIX DES LANDES, Sgt.Edwards was second in command of a fighting patrol ordered to bring back a prisoner for identification.
As the patrol moved down the right hand hedgerow of an orchard it was fired on by a machine gun from the left. With complete coolness Sgt Edwards placed two Bren guns in position on the right and took the Riflemen over to the left, then disregarding the enemy fire, he moved back to the Bren guns and shouted “Charge” in order to deveive the enemy as to the direction of the assault. Without thought of danger he himself rushed in alone from the right flank while the assaulting group of the patrol charged in from the left. Sgt Edwards was the first to arrive at the enemy position. He jumped into the enemy slit trench where he found two dead and two wounded Germans.
He promptly hit one of the wounded Germans on the head, threw him over his shoulder and carried him about two hundred yards back towards our own lines.
His coolness, quickness of decision and fierce aggressive spirit were an inspiration to the remainder of the patrol and it was largely due to his magnificent example that an important identification was obtained without casualty to his own men.
The original citation is signed by a number of high ranking officers including Field Marshal Montgomery
Name: David John EDWARDS
Army No. & Rank: 3907548 W/Sgt
Unit: 2/South Wales Borderers
1944
Action for which recommended
On the night of 26/27th July at CROIX DES LANDES, Sgt.Edwards was second in command of a fighting patrol ordered to bring back a prisoner for identification.
As the patrol moved down the right hand hedgerow of an orchard it was fired on by a machine gun from the left. With complete coolness Sgt Edwards placed two Bren guns in position on the right and took the Riflemen over to the left, then disregarding the enemy fire, he moved back to the Bren guns and shouted “Charge” in order to deveive the enemy as to the direction of the assault. Without thought of danger he himself rushed in alone from the right flank while the assaulting group of the patrol charged in from the left. Sgt Edwards was the first to arrive at the enemy position. He jumped into the enemy slit trench where he found two dead and two wounded Germans.
He promptly hit one of the wounded Germans on the head, threw him over his shoulder and carried him about two hundred yards back towards our own lines.
His coolness, quickness of decision and fierce aggressive spirit were an inspiration to the remainder of the patrol and it was largely due to his magnificent example that an important identification was obtained without casualty to his own men.
The original citation is signed by a number of high ranking officers including Field Marshal Montgomery
David John EDWARDS, known as Tal (born 17 December 1911) also had a brief career as a boxer. He most probably started fighting in the fairground boxing booths of South Wales in the 1930's. Fairground booths were an important part of boxing in Britain and enabled many aspiring professionals to hone their skills against a wide assortment of challengers.
The booth fighters typically signed up for several months and travelled with the booth from town to town. They were given food and lodgings and paid a small wage for their services. The bulk of their income (small though it was) was earned through ‘nobbings’, coins thrown into the ring by spectators as a show of appreciation after they had fought.
When the booth arrived at a new location it was the boxers’ job to erect the ring, tent and platform, to be dismantled later and loaded onto a lorry when the booth departed. They were also called upon to second other boxers or time-keep when not in action themselves.
It has been claimed that Tal once fought against Tommy Farr, the legendary Welsh boxing champion but as it is not recorded I can only assume that it was in a booth fight, as Tommy Farr began by fighting in this way.
However “Tal” had 10 officially recorded fights, recorded as follows
Country United Kingdom
Hometown Bargoed, Wales, United Kingdom
Division Welterweight
Career Record ©www.boxrec.com
Date Opponent Location Result
1937-07-24 Jack Williams Bargoed, UK W PTS 10
1937-03-27 Jack Williams Bargoed, UK W TKO 5
1937-03-23 Mog Gwilliam Briton Ferry, UK L PTS 10
1937-03-22 Tiger Smith Newport, UK W KO 9
1937-03-13 Jack Williams Blackwood, UK W PTS 6
1937-02-27 Tiger Smith Blackwood, UK W PTS 6
1937-02-13 Norman Rees Bargoed, UK L PTS 12
1937-01-30 Tiger Smith Bargoed, UK W PTS 6
1937-01-25 Pat McGilligott Newport, UK W PTS 6
1937-01-23 Dai James Bargoed, UK W PTS 6
Won 8 (KOs 2)
Lost 2
Drawn 0
The booth fighters typically signed up for several months and travelled with the booth from town to town. They were given food and lodgings and paid a small wage for their services. The bulk of their income (small though it was) was earned through ‘nobbings’, coins thrown into the ring by spectators as a show of appreciation after they had fought.
When the booth arrived at a new location it was the boxers’ job to erect the ring, tent and platform, to be dismantled later and loaded onto a lorry when the booth departed. They were also called upon to second other boxers or time-keep when not in action themselves.
It has been claimed that Tal once fought against Tommy Farr, the legendary Welsh boxing champion but as it is not recorded I can only assume that it was in a booth fight, as Tommy Farr began by fighting in this way.
However “Tal” had 10 officially recorded fights, recorded as follows
Country United Kingdom
Hometown Bargoed, Wales, United Kingdom
Division Welterweight
Career Record ©www.boxrec.com
Date Opponent Location Result
1937-07-24 Jack Williams Bargoed, UK W PTS 10
1937-03-27 Jack Williams Bargoed, UK W TKO 5
1937-03-23 Mog Gwilliam Briton Ferry, UK L PTS 10
1937-03-22 Tiger Smith Newport, UK W KO 9
1937-03-13 Jack Williams Blackwood, UK W PTS 6
1937-02-27 Tiger Smith Blackwood, UK W PTS 6
1937-02-13 Norman Rees Bargoed, UK L PTS 12
1937-01-30 Tiger Smith Bargoed, UK W PTS 6
1937-01-25 Pat McGilligott Newport, UK W PTS 6
1937-01-23 Dai James Bargoed, UK W PTS 6
Won 8 (KOs 2)
Lost 2
Drawn 0