Edmund John EDWARDS

EDWARDS, Edmund John

Service Number: 3056
Enlisted: Not yet discovered
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 55th Infantry Battalion
Born: Bedford, England, 4 March 1886
Home Town: Paddington, Woollahra, New South Wales
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Tram Conductor
Died: Killed in Action, France, 2 September 1918, aged 32 years
Cemetery: Herbecourt British Cemetery
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board
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World War 1 Service

20 Dec 1915: Involvement 3056, 17th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '12' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Suevic embarkation_ship_number: A29 public_note: ''
20 Dec 1915: Embarked 3056, 17th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Suevic, Sydney
2 Sep 1918: Involvement Private, 3056, 55th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 3056 awm_unit: 55th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1918-09-02

Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board

Edmond John EDWARDS, (Service Number 3056) was born on 4 March 1886 at Bedford, England. He first worked for NSW Tramways as a casual conductor, based in Sydney from 15 August 1915. He remained casual until 12 November 1916, when he became a permanent employee, but since he had been released from duty to join the Expeditionary Forces more than a year earlier on 6 September, the meaning of this change is difficult to understand. He was married, to Elizabeth Susannah.
Edwards left Australia through Sydney onboard HMAT ‘Suevic’ on 20 December 1915.

He was killed in action on 2 September 1918. He was a runner and was with his Company Commander, Captain Cotterill, visiting outposts near Péronne when both were killed outright by a shell.

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Biography contributed by John Oakes

Edmond John EDWARDS, (Service Number 3056) was born on 4th March 1886 at Bedford, England.  He worked for NSW Tramways as a casual conductor, based in Sydney, from 15th August 1915. He was released from duty to join the Expeditionary Forces more than a year earlier on 6th September.   He was married  to Elizabeth Susannah.

Edwards left Australia from Sydney on board HMAT ‘Suevic’ on 20 Dthecember 1915. He had reached Egypt by February. He was allotted to join the 55th Australian Infantry Battalion. From Tel-el-Kebir he went to join the British Expeditionary Force in France where he disembarked on 28th June 1916. On 4th August he was convicted of drinking in an Estaminet when that place should have been closed. This resulted in four days Field Punishment No. 2. On 6th October 1916 he was convicted of being absent without leave from 29th Spetmeber 1916 to 2nd October 1916. He forfeited four days pay and received 28 days Field Punishment No. 2. On 24th November 1916 he was convicted of being abesent without leave from 19th November 19 16 to 21st November 1916. He received 14 days Field Punishment No. 2. On 1st December 1916 he was convicted of loss of government property, web equipment complete. He  forfeited three days’ pay.

From 5th June 1917 to 20th June 1917 Edwards had leave.

On 14th July 1917 he was convicted of overstaying leave pass for a day. This resulted in three days Field Punishment No. 2 and forfeiture of five days’ pay.

From 13th March 1918 to 19th April 1918 Edwards had more leave. In June was again AWL. This resulted in seven days Field Punishment No. 2 and forfeiture of 10 days’ pay.

These indiscretions, while dominating the written record of his career, do not reflect on the weeks and months of perhaps hard soldiering between offences.

He was killed in action on 2nd September 1918. He was a runner and was with his Company Commander, Captain Cotterill, visiting outposts near Péronne when both were killed outright by a shell.

Edwards is buried in Herbecourt Military Cemetery, 4¼ miles W of Péronne.

According to one eye-witness report of Edwards’ death, he was known as ‘The Coon’, and that he and Elizabeth had two children.

On 14th December 1920 Elizabeth Susannah remarried, to Herbert Stearn at Paddington NSW.

- based on notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board

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