Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

A consolidated narrative including his transfer from the Cyclist Corps and his role as a machine‑gunner

Edwin Jordan was born on 13 March 1891 in Lancashire, England, and migrated to Australia as a young man. Living with his family at 50 Excelsior Parade, Marrickville, he worked as a fitters’ labourer at the NSW Government Railways’ Eveleigh Workshops. Fair‑haired, medium build, and known for his steady, good‑natured character, he was well‑liked both at work and later in the Army.

He enlisted in the AIF on 24 March 1916, aged 25, and was posted to the 2nd Division Cyclist Corps—a specialist mobile unit used for reconnaissance, message carrying, and rapid infantry support. After training at Goulburn, he sailed from Sydney aboard HMAT Demosthenes in May 1916.

From Cyclist to Infantry – A Unit Disbanded
When Edwin reached England and then France in late 1916, the AIF’s cyclist units were undergoing major restructuring. The Western Front’s deep mud, shattered roads, and static trench warfare made bicycles nearly useless. By late 1916, the Cyclist Corps was effectively broken up, and its men were redistributed to where manpower was desperately needed: the infantry.

Edwin was transferred to the 4th Battalion, AIF, joining the 1st Brigade, 1st Australian Division. This move placed him directly into front‑line combat.

Shortly after arriving in France, he fell ill with influenza and spent several weeks in Étapes Hospital, but he returned to duty by the end of the year. Despite the setback, his leadership qualities were quickly recognised. He was promoted to Temporary Corporal in January 1917, with the rank confirmed in March.

Becoming a Machine‑Gunner
Once in the 4th Battalion, Edwin was trained as a machine‑gunner, serving in B Company, V Platoon. Machine‑gunners were among the most exposed and heavily targeted soldiers on the Western Front. Their weapons—Lewis guns and Vickers guns—were vital for holding trenches and repelling attacks.

Eyewitnesses later described Edwin as a calm, reliable, and fearless gunner, the kind of man others trusted under fire.

The Advance to the Hindenburg Line – Early 1917
In early 1917, the 4th Battalion advanced through the Somme region as German forces withdrew to the Hindenburg Line. The Australians pushed through Bapaume, Dernancourt, and surrounding villages, establishing a chain of forward outposts ahead of the main defensive line.

These outposts were deliberately placed to absorb the first shock of any German counterattack. Edwin was stationed in one of these exposed positions alongside Sergeant Beale, Pte. C. Beattie, and others.

15 April 1917 – The German Attack at Dernancourt
At 3:30 a.m. on 15 April 1917, the Germans launched a massive assault—part of the Battle of Lagnicourt–Dernancourt, a spoiling attack involving four German divisions (around 16,000 men) against thin Australian lines.

Edwin’s outpost was one of the first positions struck.

A heavy artillery barrage fell across the front, followed by machine‑gun fire and waves of German infantry advancing through the darkness. The outpost fought off several attacks. When Sergeant Beale was wounded, Edwin insisted that Beale withdraw to safety while he remained in command of the machine‑gun position.

According to multiple eyewitnesses, Edwin continued to direct the defence with complete composure. His mates later said he was “absolutely fearless” and refused to abandon his post despite overwhelming odds.

Around 7:30–8:00 a.m., during one of the final German assaults, Edwin was killed instantly by a bullet to the head. Pte. Beattie, who was present, confirmed that Edwin had also been struck earlier by a bomb while fighting in the trench. Two men in the same outpost—including Beattie’s own brother—were killed at the same moment.

By 9:30 a.m., the outpost had been overrun. Survivors, including Pte. Beattie and Pte. Hannon, were taken prisoner. When they were marched away, Edwin’s body still lay where he had fallen.

Aftermath and Loss of His Grave
In the chaos of the German breakthrough and the later Australian counterattack, Edwin’s body was never recovered. Early reports suggested he might have been buried near Boursies or Bapaume, but later investigations confirmed no trace of his grave could be found.

In 1922, the Imperial War Graves Commission officially recorded that his resting place was unknown.

He is now commemorated on the Villers‑Bretonneux Memorial, alongside thousands of Australians with no known grave.

How His Mates Remembered Him
Every witness—whether wounded, captured, or writing from hospital—spoke of Edwin with deep respect. Pte. R. F. Tompkins wrote to his mother:

“Your boy was one of the most popular men in the Company… absolutely fearless and died as any mother would have her son die, devotedly doing his duty in the face of fearful odds.”

Another informant said his death “cast a gloom over the whole Company.”

Family Loss and Legacy
Edwin’s mother, Mary Jordan, received his Victory Medal, British War Medal, Memorial Scroll, and Memorial Plaque. She also received war pensions for both Edwin and his younger brother Leonard Jordan, who was killed later in 1917 in Belgium.

The Jordan family endured the loss of two sons within the same year.

Today, Corporal Edwin Jordan is remembered for his courage, leadership, and devotion to duty—rising from a disbanded cyclist unit to become a front‑line machine‑gunner, holding his ground in one of the fiercest German attacks of 1917, and giving his life in defence of his mates and his position.