Edgar Ernest Rebbeck

Edgar Ernest Rebbeck 1891 - 1942

Seventh Son of George & Helen Eliza Rebbeck

Edgar was the youngest son of George and Helen Eliza and only the third son to survive infancy. He was never in the best of health having been gassed during the 1st world War and suffered "shell shock". During the War he overstayed his leave and was arrested and charged with desertion, a crime that carried an automatic death sentence under wartime conditions. It says something for his father's contacts in that George Rebbeck managed to get the charges dropped completely. Edgar was lucky as the majority of young men who had found themselves in the same situation were court martialled and hanged or shot in spite of extenuating circumstances, including illness.

As a result of his experiences he suffered appalling nightmares and would wake in the night shaking. Ada would make a tray each night with thin slices of buttered bread and a flask of tea. When he had a bad night she would wake him and feed him bread and tea until he came back to reality. It must have been a very trying time for her.

Edgar & Ada Rebbeck They worked together while his health allowed, he as butler/handyman and Ada as housekeeper/cook in the same household. At Christmas they would join the family in Ringwood, often bringing a bottle of wine for the Christmas table. Finally, his health failing, he and Ada moved into the house in Manor Road with his sister Alice and her family. They lived there until his untimely death in 1942.

Alice's daughters remember him fondly. He was close to his sister and his nieces but had no children of his own. He had a passion for motorcycles and we have one picture of him with one of his machines His wife Ada (Adelaide) is sitting on the pillion.

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