Edward Colin BANKS

BANKS, Edward Colin

Service Number: 5031
Enlisted: 4 January 1916, Liverpool, New South Wales
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 4th Infantry Battalion
Born: Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia, 5 July 1897
Home Town: Granville, Parramatta, New South Wales
Schooling: Rose Hill State School, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation: Printer
Died: Killed in Action, Pozières, France, 16 August 1916, aged 19 years
Cemetery: Serre Road Cemetery No.2 Beaumont Hamel, France
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Granville War Memorial
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World War 1 Service

4 Jan 1916: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 5031, Liverpool, New South Wales
1 Apr 1916: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 5031, 4th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '8' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: SS Makarini embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: ''
1 Apr 1916: Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 5031, 4th Infantry Battalion, SS Makarini, Sydney
16 Aug 1916: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 5031, 4th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières

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Biography

Embarkation Roll (www.awm.gov.au) and Attestation Paper (recordsearch.naa.gov.au) shows Christian name as EDWARD. Birth Registration records Christian name as EDMUND - father's name Edward and Mother's name Amelia

"...5031 Private Edward Colin Banks, 4th Battalion of Kogarah, NSW. Son of Amelia Banks, of Auburn, NSW. A printer prior to enlisting, he embarked from Sydney aboard SS Makarini on 1 April 1916. He was killed in action on 16 August 1916 in France, aged 19. He is buried in Serre Road Cemetery No 2, France." - SOURCE (www.awm.gov.au)

"TWO GRANVILLE BROTHERS. ONE KILLED, THE OTHER WOUNDED.

Sad trouble has fallen on Mrs. Banks, a resident of George-street, Clyde. On Monday, 11th inst., she was notified officially that her eldest son, Private Raymond C. Banks, 22 years of age, had been wounded in France; then a week later, just as she had finished writing a letter to him, she received word in the usual way that her second son, Private Edmund C. Banks, had been killed in action. The blow is rendered all the more sad from the fact that the two boys were her only means of support. She has three other young children. The lads joined the colors about the same time, left for the front together on the 1st April last, and were, as far as the mother knows, together to the last. The latter left when he was only 18 years of age, and he had his 19th birthday at Salisbury Plains, England. On their way in the troopship from Australia to Egypt they touched Colombo, where they disembarked and stayed three days. They were only in Egypt a fortnight, and went from there to England. The mother did not know they had gone to France until she received a letter from the elder boy on 11th inst., the day she got word he was wounded. In the letter he gave an account, of their visit to London, where they were a week on leave, and said how well they enjoyed the sights. When they went from Australia they were attached to the 16th Reinforcements of the 4th Battalion. They were good lads and very much attached to each other. Both attended the Rosehill Public School and afterwards Raymond was engaged as steward on a coastal boat, and Edmund worked at the Government Printing Office, Sydney. Before they left they were photographed together, and after they had gone their mother had an enlargement made, and had it enclosed in a nice frame, and at the wish of the lads had it decorated with the battalion's colors, green and white. It now occupies a prominent position in the front room. She hopes that one, at least, will return to see it. She will have the sympathy of the bulk of Granville residents in her great loss." - from the Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate 23 Sep 1916 (nla.gov.au)

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