Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

347 Pte. Arthur Guy Edwards was the first to enlist out of the four sons of Richard and Amelia Anne (Owen) Edwards, of "Chevy Chase", a property just south of Mitchell, Q., all four boys enlisted for Service. They were;

769 Pte. Owen William Edwards (/explore/people/342726), Gallipoli and the Sanai. Owen was shot in the arm in the charge of the lighthorse at Beersheba, having it amputated days later. Owen returned to Australia and cared for his widowed mother, dying in 1971, aged 77.

5392 Pte. John Max Edwards (/explore/people/81374), was the youngest son, he was "blown to pieces" about 6 weeks after disembarking at Marseilles for his first taste of the war, at Mouquet Farm on 08 Aug 1916, aged 20.

5963 Pte. Frederick Richard Charles Edwards (/explore/people/148509), Survived the war and died in 1961 aged 73

Arthur survived the landing at Gallipoli and the entire campaign, he was killed at Bullecourt 08 May 1917, aged 25.

"The late Corporal A. G. Edwards son of Mr. and Mrs. A. A. Edwards, Chevy Chase, Mitchell was the second of four sons to make the great sacrifice. The deceased soldier volunteered in August, 1914 and on the way to Egypt the transport took on board 10 prisoners from the Emden. He was 205 days on Gallipoli Peninsula on duty all the time. He went with the first batch of Australians to France and was wounded at Pozieres in July 1916. He was in the trenches until he was sent to the school of instruction from which he had only returned to the firing line a few weeks when he was wounded and died at Bullecourt on May 8. Only a few days previously word had been received that the youngest son Private J. M. Edwards who had been reported missing since August 8, 1916, had been killed in action on that date. He was a bomb thrower. The eldest son Private F. R. C. Edwards of one of the infantry battalions is in the trenches in France. The third son, Private O. W. Edwards of the Light Horse, volunteered in 1914. He saw some of the Gallipoli campaign and since then has been with his regiment which at last advices was in Palestine." - from the Brisbane Courier 02 Jun 1917 (nla.gov.au)

"FOUR SONS AT THE FRONT.

Mr. and Mrs. R. Edwards, of Chevy Chase, Mitchell, have four sons at the war-we should rather say "had" four sons, for two have made the supreme sacrifice. Word came through on May 21 that Corporal A. G. Edwards died of wounds at Bullecourt on May 8. He was the second son of Mr. and Mrs. Edwards, and volunteered in August, 1914, went through the whole Gallipoli campaign without a scratch, went to France with the first Australians, was wounded at Pozieres in July, 1916, was sent to the school of instruction, and had returned to the trenches a few weeks, when he was fatally wounded. Only a few days previously word had come that the youngest son, Private J. M. Edwards, who had been missing since August 8, 1916, was killed in action on that date. The eldest son, Private F. R. C. Edwards, is at present in France. These three all joined infantry battalions. The third son, Private O. W. Edwards, of a Light Horse Regiment, enlisted in 1914, was at Gallipoli, and is at present in Egypt." - from the Queenslander 23 Jun 1917 (nla.gov.au)

Described on the Honour Roll Circular (static.awm.gov.au) by his mother, Amelia, "Popular with all he came in contact with. His father's favourite and right hand, clever and witty, trustworthy, a handsome boy and good."