Edward Stanley Russell was born in Weston-Super-Mare on 11 June 1882, the son of Reverend John Roebuck Russell, a Baptist minister of Bristol Road Church.
Educated at Manchester College, Oxford, Russell became student minister at Banbury and then appointed assistant to Rev. J. Collins Odgers at Ullet Road Unitarian Church, Liverpool, made joint pastor in 1912. There he became engaged to Elizabeth Durning Holt, marrying in 1913 and moving to Bryans Ground, Presteign, Radnorshire.
Despite being exempt from service as a minister, Russell returned to Liverpool in 1914 on the outbreak of war and joined the King's Liverpool Regiment as a Sergeant before receiving a Commission in Feb 1915 with the Herefordshire Regiment and landing in Suvla Bay, Gallipoli on 9 Aug 1915.
Invalided home in 1916 with enteric disease, Russell rejoined the Battalion in Palestine and in the spring of 1916 and was awarded the Military Cross for gallantry at the first Battle of Gaza in Apr 1917.
Appointed Staff Captain, Russell was Killed in Action at the second Battle of Gaza on 6 Nov 1917.
The Times Obituary of 20 Nov 1917 records: "He was the first Unitarian minister who has been killed in action. He was a man of great personal charm and will be deeply mourned by a large circle of friends'.
The Imperial War Museum houses two original war poems by Captain Edward Stanley Russell. He is buried at Beersheba War Cemetery with an inscription on his headstone from Wordsworth's poem which reads: "This Is The Happy Warrior, This Is He."