"When Edward Lawrence Wells was born on August 7, 1886, in Charleston, South Carolina, his father, Edward, was 46 and his mother, Anna, was 35. He had two brothers and one sister. He served in the U.S. Army during World War I as a Captain in Company C, 2nd Machine Gun Battalion, 1st Infantry Division. He died from his wounds received in battle on October 10, 1918 and is now buried in Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery and Memorial, Romagne-sous-Montfaucon, Departement de la Meuse, Lorraine, France. He also has a cenotaph in Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, Charleston County, South Carolina, USA.

His Distinguished Service Cross awards cite:
Distinguished-Service Cross, "Second Lieutenant Edward L. Wells, 2nd Machine Gun Battalion, 1st Division. Near Exermont, France, Oct. 4, 1918. 'When the attack was held up by heavy machine-gun fire, he volunteered for the mission and led a platoon of infantry, reinforced by 4 machine guns, into Exermont. In spite of desperate resistance, he led the attack through the streets, capturing many prisoners and learning from 1 of these the approximate location of machine guns on the heights to the north , led the three remaining members of the command against these. Within 50 yards of the enemy emplacements 1 of his men was killed and Lieutenant Wells was mortally wounded, but he succeeded in indicating to those in the rear the location of the hostile positions."

Distinguished-Service Cross Oak-Leaf Cluster {Second Award}
"Near Buzancy, France, July 21, 1918. 'When the advancing lines were checked by the fire of numerous enemy machine guns, Lieutenant Wells skilfully directed the placing of one of his machine guns and silenced the hostile guns. While the line was being consolidated this officer, with another, reconnoitered beyond the left flank, which was being swept with enfilading fire. Locating a German machine gun, he put it out of action from a rifle he was then carrying. He then pushed on farther, accompanied by a soldier, captured a prisoner and discovered a nest of 8 enemy machine guns located in a trench, whereupon with great daring he brought up a section of guns and opened up an annihilating fire which dispersed the enemy with many casualties.' B - Charleston, S. C. R - Charleston, S. C. Posthumously awarded. Medal presented to mother, Mrs. Edward L. Wells. G . O. No. 53, W. D., 1920" In addition to being awarded the French Croix de Guerre with silver star, he was also entitled to the Purple Heart when it was reinstated in 1932 in place of a uniform wound stripe. His promotion to Captain was also posthumous.
Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.ancestry.com, www.abmc.gov