MORLEY, Edwin Joseph
| Service Numbers: | 164, 3190 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 1 May 1902, 6th Battalion Australian Commonwealth Horse, B Squadron, No.2 Troop |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 60th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Strathbogie, Victoria, Australia, 11 July 1885 |
| Home Town: | Euroa, Strathbogie, Victoria |
| Schooling: | State School, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Police Officer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 19 July 1916, aged 31 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Euroa Telegraph Park, Euroa War Memorial, Strathbogie War Memorial, V.C. Corner Australian Cemetery Memorial, Wallan Presbyterian Church Honour Roll, Wallan War Memorial, Yarra Junction Avenue of Honour |
Boer War Service
| 1 May 1902: | Enlisted Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 164, 6th Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse, 6th Battalion Australian Commonwealth Horse, B Squadron, No.2 Troop |
|---|
World War 1 Service
| 26 Jul 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3190, Depot Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 18 Nov 1915: | Involvement 3190, 21st Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '13' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Wiltshire embarkation_ship_number: A18 public_note: '' | |
| 18 Nov 1915: | Embarked 3190, 21st Infantry Battalion, HMAT Wiltshire, Melbourne | |
| 26 Feb 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 3190, 60th Infantry Battalion, Taken on Strength | |
| 4 Apr 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 60th Infantry Battalion, Promoted to Corporal | |
| 13 May 1916: | Promoted Sergeant, 60th Infantry Battalion, Promoted to Sergeant | |
| 19 Jul 1916: | Involvement Sergeant, 3190, 60th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 3190 awm_unit: 60th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Sergeant awm_died_date: 1916-07-19 | |
| Date unknown: | Involvement 60th Infantry Battalion, Fromelles (Fleurbaix) |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Gary Ewart
Edwin Joseph Morley was born at Stratford Victoria in 1885. He joined the Victorian Police force in Feb 1909 and was stationed at Russell Street until Nov 1911 when he transferred to Warburton, VIC - after a few months he transferred to the Mounted Branch - then to a mounted constable's position at Bacchus Marsh. Edwin took leave from the Police force when he enlisted in the AIF, 7th Reinforcements, 21st Battalion on the 26th of Jul 1915, aged 30. (He had previously served for three months in the 6th Battalion of the Australian Commonwealth Horse, South Africa.) He embarked aboard the HMAT A18 Wiltshire for Egypt in Nov 1915. In Feb 1916 Edwin transferred to the 60th Battalion and was promoted to Corporal. In May he was promoted to Sergeant before embarking from Alexandria, Egypt in Jun 1916, disembarking at Marseilles, France eleven days later. On the 19th of July Edwin was killed in action during the disaster that was the Battle of Fromelles. Pte Dillon who witnessed Edwin’s death wrote: “At Fleurbaix on the 19th July he went over the trenches with me and was killed about 70 yards out in no mans land by machine gun fire. I was lying out from Wednesday to Friday and he was laying beside me. There could not be any mistake about him. You could see he was dead. He was my Sergeant about 5ft 10 or 11”, was a policeman in civil life”
Edwin is remembered in the Bacchus Marsh Avenue of Honour, Euroa Avenue of Honour, the Wallan War Memorial and the Wallan Presbyterian Church Honour Roll. He is buried at the VC Corner Australian Cemetery and Memorial, Fromelles, France (Grave Number 19).
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