Edwin was educated at the Council School, Ilfracombe, where he was elected the popular boy in 1901, and secured a junior certificate at the local examination for the Oxford University. He became a Draper by trade. Edwin enlisted on 13th September 1915 with the Wessex Divisional Sanitary Section and was embodied into their first line unit the same day. He embarked at Southampton on 17th September 1916, as part of No 100 Sanitary Section, then disembarked at Basra on 24th October 1916. On 2nd December, he was admitted into hospital suffering with colitis, then rejoined his unit on the 15th. On 21st October 1917, he was described as being dangerously ill and was admitted into the Isolation Hospital. He died in St John's Hospital, Bagdad (Isolation hospital) from cholera, contracted whilst on active service. He was the son of Nathaniel (a Jeweler) and Fanny (Daughter of James Wecks) Stephens of 40 Fore Street, Ilfracombe, Devon.