Biography:
Edward Alexander Pope was born 23 November 1875, the second son of Alfred and Elizabeth Pope of Wrackleford House, Dorchester and one of three Wykehamist brothers, another of whom, Lieutenant Percy Paris Pope (B 1896-1901) of the same regiment, fell on 2 October 1915 (see individual entry).
Edward came to Winchester College in January 1889 from the Elizabethan Grammar School, Dorchester, and Weymouth College. He was in B House, Moberly's, and left Winchester in the summer of 1892..
He qualified as a solicitor, but did not practise and in 1898 was appointed a director of Eldridge, Pope & Co., and on the outbreak of the South African War in 1899 he left for the Cape with the 3rd Battalion Welch Regiment: he had held a commission in the auxiliary forces since 1894. He was invalided home in 1901 and resumed his old work, retaining his commission in his militia battalion and being promoted Major in 1913. He rejoined on mobilisation and early in 1915, took over the command of the 12th (Service) Battalion South Wales Borderers and went to France shortly before the Battle of the Somme. Early in 1917, he was awarded the DSO and promoted to the substantive rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. In the following April he was wounded and on his recovery resumed command of his old battalion, the 3rd Welch.
In November 1917, he had a severe bronchial attack - the result of exposure in France - from which he never fully recovered. He returned to duty in May 1918, but in the following March suffered a relapse and died in hospital in London on 9 April 1919. His funeral took place at Golders Green Crematorium and his ashes lie near the south wall of St Mary's Church, Stratton, Dorset.
His name had appeared once in Despatches.
Lieutenant-Colonel Pope married Sybil Aline, daughter of Lieutenant Colonel C.J. Briggs, J.P., D.L., of Hilton Castle, Durham, in 1904. He was much interested in local administration and in 1914 was elected a member of the Dorset County Council.