Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Edmund Wilson Letch (Ted) was born on the 25th of February 1892 in Essendon Victoria. He lived on Rathmines Street, Fairfield, Victoria with his father Mr. Wilson Letch, his mother Florence Gertrude Letch, and 3 siblings. Out of his siblings Claude, Walter Herbert, and Aida Florence, he was the eldest. Following in Edmund's footsteps, Claude and Walter also enlisted in the war at ages 21 and 19. Edmund and his family’s religion was the Church of England. Prior to his enlistment, Edmund worked as a Paper Ruler at a firm in Melbourne called ‘Sands & McDougal’. Edmund started to work at Sands & McDougal at the age of 16, 7 years before enlisting in the army. A Paper Ruler was a person who set up, operated, or made machines that performed a variety of functions, such as converting, sawing, etc.
 
Edmund enlisted in the army on the 7th of February 1916 at age 24. On the 4th of April 1916, Edmund boarded the HMAT Euripides to travel to Alexandria, Egypt. He remained in Egypt until the 28th of May when he left Egypt. He travelled on the HMT Tunisian to later arrive in Marseilles, France on the 4th of June 1916 to join British Expeditionary Force (B.E.F.). After being in France for three days on the 7th of June, Edmund marched with reinforcements to Etaples, France. Edmund joined the 5th Battalion on the 30th of July 1916 and the A.I.F. (Australian Imperial Force) from reinforcements.
 
On the 17th of August 1916, Edmund was wounded in action while moving into Harponville during the Pozières attacks. He sustained a gunshot wound to his left foot and was admitted to the Auxiliary Military Hospital, Gravesend in Kent five days later. Not long after Edmund was shot, the army sent Edmund’s father a letter that said he was admitted to the V.A.D. Hospital, on 22nd August 1916. They additionally informed his father that they would promptly inform him of any information should it come to hand. We can assume that receiving such a letter would have been very distressing for Edmund’s father, Walter. 
 
On the 25th of September 1916, Edmund was Taken on Strength in England. The following day he was granted furlough until the 29th of October 1916. It is unknown where Edmund went during this his month’s leave of absence. On his return, on the 29th of October 1916, Edmund was transferred to Wareham. Wareham was a small town in the English County of Dorset. During the war, the town was transformed into a military training camp. Regiments from all over England, Australia, and New Zealand were based at the camp at various times during the war. Edmund was at the Wareham Camp from 29th of October 1916 until the 31st of March 1917, presumably undertaking military training.
 
On the 1st of April 1917 he was Taken on Strength and joined the 5th Battalion. After joining the 5th Battalion, the records show that Edmund was transferred between various training Battalions in England numerous times until his marriage. On the 25th of November 1917, Edmund and Maud Baker got married in Christ Church, London. Maud was British and born in Wimbledon, 1892. It is not known how Edmund and Maud met.
 
One month after Edmund got married in London, he was transferred to the Australian Provost Corps in Tidworth. Edmund remained with the Provost Corps (Australian Military Police), undertaking duties in Tidworth and at the London Headquarters, and never returned to duty on the front lines. On the 10th of January 1920, Edmund was promoted from Technical Sergeant to Extra Regimental Sergeant. On 19th April 1920, he was granted ‘family ship leave’ and then on 28th May 1920, he boarded the ‘Bremen’ ship with his wife Maud and returned to Australia.
 
When Edmund arrived back in Australia in 1920, he and his wife Maud started a family. They had four children; Joyce, Kenneth, Raymond, Donald, and an adopted daughter called Judith however, Joyce and Donald both passed away soon after they were born of entero-colitis and broncho-pneumonia. Edmund continued working at Sands & McDougal's after he had returned from the war up until his retirement. Edmund Wilson Letch passed away at the age of 87 years old on the 11th of February 1980 and is buried in the Fawkner Memorial Park with his wife, Maud. Edmund was awarded two Medals when he returned from the war; the British War Medal, and the Victory Medal.