Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Son of Thomas John Boon Down and Janet Down, of Warracknabeal, Victoria, Australia.

BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART FOR THEY SHALL SEE GOD

OUR HEROES.
Lieut. Down Killed.
It will be learnt with much regret that Lieut. Edgar Gordon Down (who was well known in Shepparton and district), was killed in action in Egypt on  December 23rd. The deceased officer was 31 years of age, and was the third surviving son of Mrs. Jessie and the late Mr. T. J. B. Down (late of  Mooroopna and of Flinders Island).  The family is well known and highly respected in Shepparton and Mooroopna, where they resided for a number of years.  The late Lieut. Down, after leaving school, entered the service of the late James Fairley.  He was an active and intelligent member of the old Victorian Mountred Rifels, afterwards the Australian Light Horse, and was in charge of the Shepparton troop prior to leaving with other members of the family for King Island, where he enlisted.  He took a great interest in Presbyterian Sunday school matters, and was deservedly highly esteemed.

LIEUTENANT DOWN.
Lieut. Edgar Gordon Down was the third surviving son of Mrs Down and the late Mr T. J. B. Down, of Shepparton and Mooroopna, where he was a  member of the Presbyterian church and a teacher in the Sabbath school. He was killed instantaneously at the battle of Magdaba on December 23, 1916, while leading his men to victory. He was a son and brother of whom one might be justly proud, and every memory of him is conforting. Letters have only lately come from brother officers giving details of his death, from one of which the following is an extract:
"In the whole course of my life I never met anyone who more nearly reached the highest ideals of the Christian life. He was a firm believer, and was a  splendid example to us all—always ready to do more than his duty, never complaining when privation and weariness fell to our lot, self-sacrificing in the extreme, in the end he made the great sacrifice that this war has entailed upon so many brave men like him. He lived a splendid life, and he died a  glorious death. God knows why some poor fellows have to suffer so terribly before death comes to their rescue. Perhaps he was spared that because he was fully prepared. His loss to me personally is that of a very dear friend. I miss him every day, and I know that the others do also, for his name is  often on their lips."—Presbyterian Messenger."