Alfred Lawrence EDWARDS MM

Alfred Lawrence EDWARDS MM Update Details

If you confirm that you want to proceed with the update, this record will be locked for editing by all other users until you have finished. You will have 7 days to complete your changes before they will be automatically submitted.

Do you want to proceed?

EDWARDS, Alfred Lawrence

Service Number:	1961
Enlisted:	8 November 1915, Adelaide, South Australia
Last Rank:	Corporal
Last Unit:	14th Field Artillery Brigade
Born:	Port Adelaide, South Australia, 1 May 1894
Home Town:	Unley, Unley, South Australia
Schooling:	Parkside Public School & Unley Public School, South Australia
Occupation:	Student
Died:	Killed in Action, Belgium, 4 September 1917, aged 23 years
Cemetery:	Birr Cross Roads Cemetery
Memorials:	Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Black Forest Parkside West Methodist Church and School Roll of Honor WW1, Parkside Public School Roll of Honor, Unley Arch of Remembrance, Unley Town Hall WW1 Honour Board

World War 1 Service

8 Nov 1915:	Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1961, 9th Light Horse Regiment, Adelaide, South Australia
10 Feb 1916:	Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 1961, 9th Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '2' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Warilda embarkation_ship_number: A69 public_note: ''
10 Apr 1916:	Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 14th Field Artillery Brigade , Doubling of the AIF and constitution of supporting arms and services
4 Sep 1917:	Involvement AIF WW1, Corporal, 1961, 14th Field Artillery Brigade , Third Ypres, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 1961 awm_unit: 14 Field Artillery Brigade awm_rank: Corporal awm_died_date: 1917-09-04

Service Profile.

Military History of
1961 Bombardier A. L. EDWARDS MM
Researched by His 1st Cousin Twice Removed, 4717484 SSGT Graeme W. Edwards JP RAE (Ret)

Alfred Lawrence Edwards, formally of 206 Young Street, North Unley SA joined the Australian Imperial Force on 8 November 1915 and was initially allocated to the 14/9th Light Horse; he was 21 1⁄2 years of age. On 1 April 1916 he was transferred to Royal Australian Artillery and taken on strength of the 5th Division Artillery. Lawrie was promoted to Bombardier (Corporal) on 23 April 1917. He saw active service in France where, on the 2nd of July 1917 he was awarded the Military Medal (MM) as a result of the following citation:
On 23rd April 1917 the 53rd Battery position at MORCHIES was subjected to very heavy shelling and a large ammunition dump caught fire. It was burning fiercely when Bdr Edwards at great personal risk, assisted in extinguishing the flames and helped to save a considerable amount of ammunition.

(These actions were promulgated in the Australian Gazette Number 189 on 8th November 1917 whereby His Majesty The King graciously acknowledged Lawrie's bravery in the field).

Lawrie was now serving with the 14th Field Artillery when, on 4th September 1917, he was killed in action and the following report was made:

On 4th September 1917 at about 11am, Bdr A. L. Edwards MM was in a "pill-box" dugout along with others near "Hell Fire Corner" in the YPRES area when an enemy high explosive shell hit the dugout, the roof collapsing with the force of the explosion, burying the occupants. Death in the case of Bdr Edwards MM was instantaneous as there were severe wounds in his chest, abdomen and head, any one being sufficient to cause death. He was buried close to the dugout north of the railway near YPRES. A cross was erected over his grave at Map Reference Sheet 28.I.10.b.3.4.

Personal belongings that were returned to Mrs E. Edwards on 26 November 1917 are:

Disc, Letters, Photos, Diary, New Testament, 2 Pipes in Case, Purse, 3 Military Medal Ribbons, 3 Coins, Badges, Whistle & Lanyard, 2 Wallets, Fountain Pen, Nickel Case, Pair of Spectacles in Case, Note Book and a Broken Metal Ring.

Alfred Lawrence Edwards MM was also awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. Just prior to 26 March 1924, an Exhumation Order was made and his body was moved to the Australian War Graves Cemetery at Birr Cross Roads at ZILIEBEKE which is one and three quarter miles east of YPRES. He is now buried at Plot 2, Row B, Grave 11.

LEST WE FORGET

Awarded the Military Medal

'On 23rd April the 53rd Battery position at MORCHIES was subjected to very heavy shelling, and a large ammunition dump caught fire. it was burning fiercely when Bombardier EDWARDS, at great personal risk, assisted in extinguishing the flames, and helped to save a considerable amount of ammunition.'
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 189
Date: 8 November 1917

'On 23rd April the 53rd Battery position at Morchies was subjected to very heavy shelling and a large ammunition dump caught fire. It was burning fiercely when Corporal Edwards at a great personal risk, assisted in extinguishing the flames and helped to save a considerable amount of ammunition. Thus winning the Military Medal.'
Details from his Mother.

Biography

"THE LATE CORPORAL A. L. EDWARDS. M.M.

Mr and Mrs A. H. Edwards, of Young street, North Unley, have been notified that their second son, Corporal A. L. Edwards, M.M.. 53rd Battery Field Artillery, was killed in action in France on September 4, 1917. He was educated at the Parkside and Unley public schools and at the time of enlisting was a student for the lumnery at the Methodist Training Home, Brighton. He sailed for Egypt On February 10,' 1916, and later was trans ferred to France." - from the Adelaide Chronicle 13 Oct 1917 (nla.gov.au)

Biography contributed by Jillian Offe

Fiancee of Lynda Floyd Robinson of Parkside. Born: 8th July 1894. Daughter of James Emlyn and Elizabeth Emma Robinson.

Virtual
War Memorial
Australia