Edward Dudley Skinner was born on 9 April 1892 in Stevenage where his father was a clergyman.  The family moved to Gulworthy vicarage near Tavistock in 1900 and Edward went on to attend Kelly College in 1905, representing the School at both rugby and fives. Rather than go to university, he decided to emigrate and took up an appointment on a tea plantation in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka).  There he joined the Ceylon Tea Planters Rifle Corps, a volunteer force set up in 1900. 

On the outbreak of war, he returned to England in 1914 with several volunteers and joined the Rifle Brigade, obtaining a commission in February 1915 as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 1/8 Ardwick Battalion of the Manchester Regiment. Following a spell in Egypt defending the Suez Canal from Turkish invasion, he was posted to Ypres for the infamous Battle of Passchendaele arriving on 1 September 1917 for a week's training in Poperinghe. On 7 September, he marched with his battalion up to the front line through the Menin Gate to a heavily fortified stronghold called Square Farm. After two days of patrolling, he was killed on 9 September with five others during a heavy German artillery bombardment. Edward died at the age of 25 within just a few days of being sent to the front.  He was buried in the Ypres Reservoir War Graves Cemetery. Many tributes were paid to him, both from Kelly College and from his battalion.

Edward Skinner's name appears on both the Mount Kelly and Tavistock War Memorials.

Contribution by David Anthony (OMK 1950-55)

Submitted by Diana Zhontsa, Head of Marwood House and Alumni Committee member