71827
WATERHOUSE, Edward George
| Service Number: | 17888 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 22 January 1917, Port Adelaide, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Sapper |
| Last Unit: | 1st Divisional Signal Company |
| Born: | Jamestown, South Australia, Australia, 13 July 1898 |
| Home Town: | Jamestown, Northern Areas, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Bank Clerk |
| Died: | Kidney failure, Repat Hospital, Daw Park, South Australia, 24 August 1974, aged 76 years |
| Cemetery: |
St George's Church of England Cemetery, Magill, S.A. |
| Memorials: | Beltana & District WW1 Roll of Honor, Blinman & District WW1 Roll of Honor, Blinman Boer War, WW1 & WW2 Honour Rolls, Yorketown Kadina Union Bank WW1 Roll of Honor |
World War 1 Service
| 22 Jan 1917: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Port Adelaide, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Nov 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Sapper, 17888, 5th Divisional Signal Company, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '6' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Port Sydney embarkation_ship_number: A15 public_note: '' | |
| 9 Nov 1917: | Embarked AIF WW1, Sapper, 17888, 5th Divisional Signal Company, HMAT Port Sydney, Melbourne | |
| 11 Nov 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Sapper, 17888, 1st Divisional Signal Company | |
| 20 Sep 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1 |
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Add my storyBiography
Eddie enlisted 22 January 1917 when he was working as a clerk in the Union Bank in Gawler SA. He was only 18½ years old and needed to get permission from his parents, who were at that time living in Beltana (upper north SA) where his father was the policeman.
Eddie had an elder brother Frederick Edward who was already serving, and was subsequently killed in action in Belgium 4/10/17.
After receiving another letter of permission from his parents to allow active service, he embarked 9/11/17 on HMAT Port Sydney, disembarked 5/1/18 Southampton - spent time in Parkhouse, Clifton and Bedford before embarking at Dover on 07/07/18 to Abbeville, France then marched out to 'Field'. He was in the 5th Divisional Signal Company.
Eddie returned to Australia on Boorara 6/7/19 and was discharged 20/9/19.
Post war he resigned from the Union Bank, and went to work in the north of SA, as a Jackeroo with Beltana Pastoral Company. From this experience he applied for a Soldier Settler lease on a property 20 miles east of Copley - Maynard's Well Station.
He married Martha Frances Jessie McLachlin (Mattie) (1/7/1895 - 13/7/1974) who was working at Puttapa Station as a ladies companion. They had 4 children.
There is much more that could be written about Eddie & Mattie's life. They eventually retired to a home in Dulwich SA, and spent their final years at Aldersgate Retirement Village.
As his granddaughter, I wish I had asked more questions before Pop passed away. He never spoke of his time in the War, but always marched on Anzac Day. - Barbara Macey
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