WOOTTON, Edward Claude
| Service Number: | 2414 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 21 September 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 12th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Beaconsfield-Exeter Tasmania, Australia, 26 July 1890 |
| Home Town: | Beaconsfield, West Tamar, Tasmania |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Coronary Occlusion, Military Mental Asylum (Mont Park) , Victoria, Australia, 7 January 1954, aged 63 years |
| Cemetery: |
Preston Public Cemetery, Victoria |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 21 Sep 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2414, 40th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 21 Oct 1916: | Involvement Private, 2414, 40th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '18' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Port Melbourne embarkation_ship_number: A16 public_note: '' | |
| 21 Oct 1916: | Embarked Private, 2414, 40th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Port Melbourne, Melbourne | |
| 22 May 1917: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 12th Infantry Battalion | |
| 20 Sep 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 2414, 12th Infantry Battalion, Menin Road, SW to right leg, severe | |
| 7 May 1918: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 2414, 12th Infantry Battalion, 3rd MD due to wounding Menin Rd |
Help us honour Edward Claude Wootton's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Evan Evans
From How We Served
The final resting place for; - 2414b Private Edward Claude Wootton of Beaconsfield, Tasmania had been employed as a labourer when he enlisted for War Service at Claremont on the 21st of September 1916 and was allocated to reinforcements for the 40th Battalion 1st AIF.
Edward was embarked for England and further training on the 21st of October, and arrived on the 28th of December. By the 23rd of May 1917 Edward was transferred over to the 12th Battalion and was disembarked in France where he was taken on strength with his new Unit following his arrival in the trenches on the 15th of June. Edward remained on his duty, and was with his Unit when they were sent to Belgium where they were to be committed to the Third Battle of Ypres, and whilst serving in Belgium Edward was wounded in action by shrapnel to his right leg on the 20th of September 1917.
Evacuated for hospitalisation in England, Edward arrived from Belgium on the 30th of September and would remain in England until he was deemed an invalid and no longer fit for further service at the ‘front’. Edward was repatriated to Australia, departing England on the 25th of November 1917, and having arrived back he was official discharged from the 1st AIF on the 7th of May 1918 for his re-entry into civilian life.
Edward’s health further deteriorated after his return to Australia and he was committed into the Military Mental Asylum (Mont Park) on the 25th of September 1920. Over thirty years later, Edward was still receiving treatment for what was diagnosed and termed as being in a ‘confusional’ state, due to War Strain. Edward’s death took place on the 7th of January 1954, and following which he was formally interred within Preston Cemetery, Victoria.
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