EDWARDS, Frederick William
| Service Number: | 623 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 20 March 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 24th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Earlswood, Red Hill, Surrey, England , 2 November 1889 |
| Home Town: | Albert Park, Port Phillip, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Farmer |
| Died: | Wounds, 2nd Northern General Hospital, Leeds, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom, 27 October 1916, aged 26 years |
| Cemetery: |
Reigate Cemetery Reigate Cemetery, Surrey, England (privately buried by family), Reigate Cemetery, Reigate, Surrey, England, United Kingdom |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 20 Mar 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 623, 24th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 10 May 1915: | Involvement Private, 623, 24th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '14' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Euripides embarkation_ship_number: A14 public_note: '' | |
| 10 May 1915: | Embarked Private, 623, 24th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Euripides, Melbourne | |
| 25 Aug 1916: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 623, 24th Infantry Battalion, Mouquet Farm, GSW to right thigh DoW England |
Help us honour Frederick William Edwards's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Evan Evans
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland
Died on this date – 27th October…… Private Frederick William Edwards was born in 1889 at Earlswood, Red Hill, Surrey, England.
Frederick Edwards, Groom, aged 20, was listed as a passenger on Orsova which arrived in Melbourne on 5th July, 1910.
He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 20th March, 1915 as a 24 year old Farmer from Albert Park, Victoria.
Private Edwards embarked from Melbourne on HMAT Euripides (A14) on 10th May, 1915.
On 30th August, 1915 he proceeded to join M.E.F. (Mediterranean Expeditionary Force) at Gallipoli Peninsula. He disembarked at Alexandria from Mudros on 27th December, 1915. (after the evacuation of Gallipoli).
Private Edwards proceeded to join B.E.F. (British Expeditionary Force) from Alexandria on 20th March, 1916 & disembarked at Marseilles, France on 26th March, 1916.
He was “evacuated wounded” while in France between “27th - 31st July, 1916” according to Casualty Form – Active Service. The form should read “evacuated sick”. He was admitted to 2nd Field Ambulance on 28th July, 1916 then transferred to 3rd Casualty Clearing Station & admitted with Tonsillitis. From there he was admitted to 1st Canadian General Hospital at Etaples, France on 29th July, 1916 & rejoined his Battalion in France on 16th August, 1916.
Private Frederick William Edwards was wounded on 25th August, 1916 at Mouquet Farm. He was admitted to 4th Field Ambulance with gunshot wounds to right thigh & left forearm then transferred & admitted to 44th Casualty Clearing Station on 25th August, 1916. Private Edwards was transferred to Ambulance Train on 26th August, 1916 & admitted to 3rd Canadian General Hospital at Boulogne, France on 27th August, 1916 with shrapnel wounds to right thigh & left forearm. Private Edwards embarked for England on Hospital Ship Jan Breydel on 28th August, 1916.
On 27th October, 1916 Private Edwards was admitted to 2nd Northern General Hospital, Leeds, Yorkshire, England. Sadly he died later that day as a result of wounds received in action – Gunshot wounds to right thigh & Septicaemia.
Private Frederick William Edwards’ body was sent to his parent’s home & he was privately buried (as opposed to a Military Funeral) in Reigate Cemetery, Surrey, England. He has a Private Headstone which he shares with his parents & a separate plaque but his death is still acknowledged by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Frederick’s inscription on the Family Headstone reads:
In Loving Memory of
PTE FREDERICK WILLIAM EDWARDS
24TH BATT. A.I.F.
WHO DIED OF WOUNDS
RECEIVED IN FRANCE OCTR 27TH 1916
AGED 26 YEARS
HE HEARD THE DIN OF WAR’S ALARMS.
HE HEARD HIS COUNTRY’S CALL TO ARMS
AND WITH THE ANZAC INFANTRY
HE CROSSED TEN THOUSAND MILES OF SEA
“TO DO HIS BIT” ON DEMAND.
HE DIED TO SAVE HIS FATHERLAND.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/reigate.html
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