GUNN, Edwin Innes
| Service Number: | 1797 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 13 July 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 60th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Albert Park, Victoria, Australia, 31 March 1897 |
| Home Town: | Armadale, Stonnington, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Caulfield Grammar School, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Clerk |
| Died: | Killed In Action, France, 19 July 1916, aged 19 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, V.C. Corner Australian Cemetery Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 13 Jul 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1797, Depot Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 4 Apr 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 1797, 58th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '20' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Euripides embarkation_ship_number: A14 public_note: '' | |
| 4 Apr 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 1797, 58th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Euripides, Melbourne | |
| 18 Jun 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 1797, 60th Infantry Battalion | |
| 29 Jun 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 1797, 60th Infantry Battalion | |
| 19 Jul 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 1797, 60th Infantry Battalion, Fromelles (Fleurbaix), --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 1797 awm_unit: 60th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1916-07-19 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Adelaide High School
Edwin Innes Gunn was born in 1896 to William John Gunn (b. 1855 Campbellfield, Vic) and Martha Amy Bennett (b. 1872 Pleasant Creek, Victoria). He was 178cm tall and weighed 70kg. He lived at 18 Sutherland Road, Armadale, Victoria. His next of kin was his father, William John Gunn. He enlisted into the army on 13/7/1915 aged 18 into the 58th Battalion, 2nd Reinforcement. He was later transferred into the 60th Battalion on 24/5/1916 and taken on strength the day after, 25/5/1916. He embarked on the Alexandria to Marseilles on 29/6/1916.
Edwin Innes Gunn embarked as a Private, SN 1797, in the 58th Infantry Battalion on the HMAT Euripides at Port Melbourne on 4 April 1916. This was a transport ship. It transported him to Egypt.
After several months of training in Egypt, on 18 June 1916 he embarked to the Western Front as a Private in the AIF, SN 1797, with the 60th Infantry Battalion.
He was then involved as part of the AIF, as a Private, SN 1797, with the 60th Infantry Battalion in the battle on the Western Front on 29 June 1916.
He was then involved in the Battle of Fromelles on 19 July 1916 as a part of the 60th Infantry Battalion.
It was reported that Edwin Innes Gunn rushed out of the Allied trenches toward the German trenches, where he was shot down before making it past the German wire on 19 July 1916, aged 19.
B.P. MACKEY, 16 May 1917, ‘I saw him go across in the charge at Fleurbaix on July 19th. We did not get past the German wire at the point our platoon struck. I am certain he did not come back. I noticed particularly that he was not amongst those who got back. It is certain he was killed.'
He is now commemorated in VC Corner Cemetery and Memorial, Fromelles, France. Edwin Innes Gunn's name is also located at panel 170 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial.
After his death, he was awarded 2 war medals: the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. The British War Medal was awarded to any officers or men of the British forces who served during WW1. The Victory Medal was awarded to anyone in an active theatre of military operations from 1914 – 1918.
References
Aif.adfa.edu.au. 2022. Details. [online] Available at: <https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=121354> [Accessed 28 June 2022].
CUSTODIANS, A., Memorial, T. and Memorial, T., 2022. Private Edwin Innes Gunn. [online] Awm.gov.au. Available at: <https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P10237055> [Accessed 28 June 2022].
CUSTODIANS, A., Memorial, T. and Memorial, T., 2022. Edwin Innes Gunn. [online] Awm.gov.au. Available at: <https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1633741> [Accessed 28 June 2022].
CUSTODIANS, A., Memorial, T. and Memorial, T., 2022. Troops embarking on HMAT Euripides (A14) at Port Melbourne. Euripides was a transport ship .... [online] Awm.gov.au. Available at: <https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1235974> [Accessed 28 June 2022].
CWGC. 2022. Private Edwin Innes Gunn | War Casualty Details 1797 | CWGC. [online] Available at: <https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/721159/edwin-innes-gunn/> [Accessed 28 June 2022].
Recordsearch.naa.gov.au. 2022. Digital Item Page Gallery. [online] Available at: <https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Gallery151/dist/JGalleryViewer.aspx?B=4391978&S=1&N=57&R=0#/SearchNRetrieve/NAAMedia/ShowImage.aspx?B=4391978&T=P&S=17> [Accessed 28 June 2022].
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