Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Edward Toynbee Stevens was born on the 4th of April 1885 in Essex England. His parents were Eliza Snelgrove and Edward Stevens. They were married in Woodford, Essex on July 1883. Edward’s congregation was Church of England. Edward was a regular attender of the church. He would regularly attend on Sunday. Edward attended Brighton Grammar School and Melbourne University. His occupation before enlisting in the Australian Infantry Force was a dental surgeon.  

Edward enlisted on the 2nd of September 1914 at the age of 29. Before enlisting for Australia he had previously served with the senior cadets for 18 months. He also spent 15 months as a 2nd Lieutenant in the CMF. Once enlisted Edward was assigned the rank of Lieutenant. Edward was assigned to the 5th Battalion, Machine Section. Edward's unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A3 Orvieto on the 21st of October 1914.   

Sadly, Edward was killed in action. This occurred whilst in Belgium. At first he was recorded as missing on the 11th of October 1917 but was later found on the battle field. Edward was buried in the Tyne Cot Cemetery (plot XXII, Row B, Grave number 20) Passchendaele, Belgium.

Edward's panel number at the Australian War Memorial is 129. He later received awards for his service in the war. These included the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. His father also donated a clock to the Melbourne University. It is located in the tower of the old arts building in the name of Edward Toynbee Stevens.

EDWARD TOYNBEE STEVENS who was killed in action on 11th October 1917 was the only son of Mr. Edward Stevens. He was born in 1886 and was at School in 1900 and 1901. In his last year at School, after running second to S. M. Bruce (No. 2719 on the School Roll) in the mile race at the School sports he represented the School
in the Public Schools Championship Races. He left at the end of 1901 and went in for dentistry.

He qualified in 1909, and had established a lucrative practice when
war broke out and he enlisted. "Ned" Stevens was an enthusiast. He never spared himself, and to anything he undertook he gave his best. He was keen throughout, whether at his work or his literary interests or athletics.

He was a trier all the time, and when he went into camp he put his whole heart into it. He had previously obtained a commission in the Citizen Forces as 2nd Lieutenant in the 55th Infantry. As soon as he went into camp he attracted attention for his thoroughness,
and was gazetted 2nd Lieutenant on 24th August 1914, gaining his second star on 1st February 1915. He ' left Australia with the first contingent in 5th Battalion but was so ill with enteric in Egypt that he was declared permanently unfit for military service.

He protested against this decision without effect, but was allowed
to take his discharge in Egypt instead of Australia. He travelled to England, and having recovered his health got a commission in the 9th Battalion Nottingham and Derbyshire Regiment. After service in France, where he was hit with a spent shell, he was sent with a fresh draft of men to Suvla Bay, where he was wounded four times. He assisted in the withdrawal from Cape Helles and afterwards served in
the Sinai Desert, being withdrawn with his men to share in the Somme offensive of July 1916. During the Somme battles he was promoted to Captain, and had charge of trench mortars of the 3rd Army, and had been selected as Instructor.

At this time, however, he was asked to rejoin the A.I.F., and on 21st November 1916 resigned his English captaincy to go back to his rank of Lieutenant, and was seconded for duty as Divisional Trench Mortar Officer of 3rd Australian Division. He was in all the battles of the Somme up to and including Beaumont Hamel. In March 1917 he suffered from trench feet and was evacuated sick. When he was in
London a bomb fell near the bed in which he was asleep, and it was then that he was offered a trip to Australia, but in almost his last letter he says after deep thought he declined it, as men were so scarce. In a letter to a Melbourne friend, written at this time, he said he did not expect to come through alive, and neither did he.

He rejoined his battalion on 1st May 1917 and was killed in action five months later. He was at first reported missing, but subsequent information showed that in the vicinity of Springfield Farm, near Zonnebeke, when returning from one of the other brigades, to the headquarters of which he had been sent as Liaison Officer, he was killed by a shell.

Edward Toynbee STEVENS was born on 4th April, 1885 in Essex, England - his birth was registered in West Ham

His parents were Edward STEVENS and Eliza SNELGROVE who married in Woodford, Essex, UK on 2nd July 1883

He had previous service for 18 months with the Senior Cadets, 15 months as 2nd Lieutenant in the CMF and 2 years commissioned service, Senior Cadets ( UT ) before he enlisted with the Australian Army - he was with the 5th Battalion, Machine Gun section - Unit embarked from Melbourne on board HMA Orvieto on 21st October, 1914

Edward was killed in Action in the Field in Belgium on 11th October, 1917 - he is buried in Tyne Cot Cemetery and also honoured on the Australian War Memorial - there is also a clock in Melbourne University donated by his father in memory of Edward in the tower of the old arts building

He was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal & the Victory Medal

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Argus, Melbourne, 21st November, 1917

STEVENS.- Killed in Action on the 11th October, Lieutenant Edward Toynbee Stevens, A.i.F., formerly Captain in the Sherwood Foresters, beloved only son of Mr. & Mrs. Edward Stevens, Windsor, Victoria.

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The London Gazette 13th July, 1915

The Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment)

13th Battalion -

Edward Toynbee Stevens, late Lieutenant Australian Imperial Force to be a temporary Lieutenant, dated 1st July, 1915

For further info on his service see story below