“Chief Scoutmaster (Reverend) Edward Edwards
Reverend Edwards was (most likely) the first Scoutmaster and Chief Scoutmaster of the newly formed Church troop at Avonside (Holy Trinity) Church in around 1908/09.  This is the Troop which came to be known as the Avonside Boy Scout Troop, and then went on to become St. Matthew's Scout Group in 1922.  It appears he left the Troop when he moved to the Phillipstown church during absence of vicar H. E. Ensor (in January of 1911).
Early Life
Edward was born in Oamaru on the 25th of April 1880 to Herbert Edwards and Mary Elizabeth Edwards (nee. Houghton).  He was the brother to Ernest Edwards (Mining Engineer), Marion (May) Edwards, and Selwyn Edwards (Engineer).  His Father, Herbert Edwards, was a North Otago farmer and land developer in Ngapara and was later noted as a gentleman of Tee Street, Oamaru [1] (More information on Edward's family can be obtained from the North Otago Museum in Oamaru).
Education
His schooling began at Oamaru South School, and He then attended Waitaki Boys’ High School.  He is believed to have attended Selwyn College in Dunedin for a short time in 1898, although no record can be found of that.  From 1899 to 1905 he was at College House and Canterbury College in Christchurch.  He held a BA from the University of New Zealand and a grade III BTS (Board of Theological Studies).
Career He was, from the 1st of April 1906 until Jan 1911, assistant (to W. A. Pascoe) curate at the Avonside Church in Christchurch - and it is thought that he was the first Scoutmaster of the new Scout Troop that was started there (Many Troops were forming all over New Zealand at this time, and Churches were instrumental in a large portion of them).  This troop was known as the Avonside Troop until the early 1920's when it moved to St. Matthews Church and changed its name.
Edward left Avonside to briefly spend some time in the Philipstown Parish before heading off overseas to serve in several churches in Canada (and possibly the US) and finally in the UK, where he was when the Great War broke out.
The Great War
Edward enlisted in the Army in 1915, originally applying to be a Chaplain, but had been turned down for reasons unknown (quite possibly they had enough at the time), and so enlisted as a medic with the Royal Army Medical Corps.  He appears to have later transferred to the 4th battalion of the Worcestershire Regiment, and was promoted on the 1st of March 1917 to 2nd Lieutenant.  It is assumed that the photo above was taken during or after his officer training, which would have occurred back in England.
Edward first entered the war when he landed in Egypt on May 15th, 1915.  He also served in Mudros, a hospital & supply base in Greece for casualties from the Galipolli campaign among other things, and then throughout the western front with the 4th Battalion of the Worcestershire Regiment.  The last major action he would have been involved with would have been the Battle of Arras (which, incidentally, had involved a great number of Kiwi soldiers and miners).
Edward was, sadly, killed on active service on the 30th of May 1917  He was 37 years of age.
Our Chief Scoutmaster, Edward Edwards is remembered on the Arras Memorial in France (Bay 6), also with a bronze plaque on the wall of the Avonside Holy Trinity Church in Christchurch, on several honour memorials including his old high school (Waitaki Boys High) and by a tree planted in his memory in his hometown of Oamaru, New Zealand.  As with so many men who gave their lives on the Western Front, He has no known grave.
A memorial Oak was planted in his honour by his hometown of Oamaru, and is still standing today.  Note the wrong year [is] on the cross - which is due to the wrong date being provided to the Town Council by his Father (both day and year - although the day is also wrong in the Poverty Bay Herald obituary notice) in a letter of response to a call for fallen sons.” [Retrieved 4/04/2024 from Internet Archives “Way Back Machine”: http://stmatts.co.nz/chief_scoutmaster_reverend_edward_edwards ]

There is anecdotal evidence  that Edward was a scoutmaster of the Avonside Boy Scout Troop in Christchurch, New Zealand. From the church records in Christchurch, he moved to London and was the curate at St. Annes Limehouse in London before he joined the Army in 1915, joining the  Royal Army Medical Corps. His service record has not been digitised by the National Archive, but was a member of the Worcestershire Rgt. on his death in 1917.  

From the history of the Worcestershire Rgt, an account of the action where Edward died:

"Early in May the 4th Worcestershire were made up to strength by fresh drafts and moved back into the battle-area. The Battalion marched northward from Coigneux on May 1st, billetted that night in Souastre and then next day proceeded through Humbercamps and La Herliere to Saulty - L' Arbret Station. Thence the Battalion moved by train to Arras, where quarters were found in the cellars of the ruined houses in the Grande Place. All next morning the Battalion stood to arms, awaiting orders to move forward in support' of an attack which was then in progress ; but no orders came (a) and eventually the companies were dismissed to rest. During the next ten days the Battalion remained in billets (b) providing many working parties, some of which went forward across the battle-field as far as the front line. 
On May 14th the 4th Worcestershire moved forward into the battle-area. For a week the companies were in reserve or support positions, mainly occupied in providing working and entrenching parties; then on May 20th the Battalion went forward to the front line. The front of the 29th Division now stretched from Monchy to the River Scarpe, and the Worcestershire relieved the Northamptonshire Yeomanry (c) in trenches immediately south of the river. Those trenches were held by the Battalion, alternately with the Northamptonshire Yeomanry, until the end of the month (d). The trench line ran across a sharp valley in which there was much scope for enterprise. Several small adventures took place when parties pushed out from the line by night to establish posts further forward (e); but nothing of importance occurred until on the evening of May 30th.  
On that night the 29th Division made a great attempt to advance the line on Infantry Hill. The centre of the fight was away to the right but, as a diversion, the 4th Worcestershire were ordered to make a small attack on the German trenches near a mill which stood west of Pelves on rising ground above the river. 
The hour for the main attack on the right had been fixed at half-an-hour before midnight. The attack of the 4th Worcestershire was to be delivered five minutes before that hour, in order • to draw the fire of the German guns. 
The attack was made by two platoons. In silence the two platoons climbed out of their trenches and advanced; but a heavy thunderstorm had soaked the ground and progress was slow. The enemy were on the alert, flares went up, and the German guns opened an intense fire. Through the shell-bursts the attacking platoons struggled onwards, across heavy mud under a rapid fire from the enemy's trench. Many fell, but the rest plunged on, reached the German entanglements and engaged in a bombing fight with the enemy on the parapet. Only when their bombs had run out did the Worcestershire platoons retire. The retreat was covered by 2nd Lieutenant E. D. Barclay, who gallantly held the enemy at bay with his last few bombs while his men withdrew. Almost at once the enemy retaliated. The German gun-fire became heavier, and a large raiding party came forward from the hostile trench. Again a fierce bombing fight ensued; but ' the enemy raiders failed to gain a footing in our line, and eventually fell back. Away to the right the main battle was in progress on Infantry Hill. Heavy firing lasted all night and, did not die down until the morning. Presently word came down that no success had been gained. When it became possible to reckon the casualties of that fierce night it was found that the 4th Worcestershire had lost some forty killed and wounded."
[An extract from The Worcestershire Regiment in the Great War (1914-19) by Capt H. FitzM. Stacke M.C.]

His death was also noted in Worcester Herald 16th June 1917 edition as: Killed : Sec Lieut. E. Edwards