Edward Owen (Owen) EDWARDS

EDWARDS, Edward Owen

Service Number: 750
Enlisted: 14 January 1916, Liverpool, New South Wales
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 36th Infantry Battalion
Born: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 11 January 1900
Home Town: Smithfield, Fairfield, New South Wales
Schooling: Smithfield Public School, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation: Dairy farmer/Drover
Died: Killed in Action, France, 20 December 1917, aged 17 years
Cemetery: Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery, Armentieres
I C 43,
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Smithfield Public School Roll of Honour, Smithfield St James Anglican Church Honour Board
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World War 1 Service

14 Jan 1916: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 750, 36th Infantry Battalion, Liverpool, New South Wales
13 May 1916: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 750, 36th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Beltana embarkation_ship_number: A72 public_note: ''
13 May 1916: Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 750, 36th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Beltana, Sydney

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Biography contributed by Merridee Wouters

Edward lived in Water Street, Smithfield. He was his parents’ sixth child and fourth son. His father Henry Edwards, who had driven a bakers cart, had died of typhoid before Edward was born. His mother remarried to a widower, William Betts, when Edward was one. On enlisting, Edward gave his occupation as dairy farmer but cited experience with the 20A and 19B cadets. He was initially assigned to the 2nd Batallion (Liverpool). He seems to have undergone about 10 months training before being reassigned to the 36 Batallion, Company C, possibly due to his family’s origins in the Hunter. The 36th Battalion was raised at Broadmeadow Camp, in Newcastle, New South Wales, in February 1916 as part of an expansion of the First Australian Imperial Force, which occurred after the Gallipoli Campaign.[1] The bulk of the battalion's recruits came from New South Wales rifle clubs and along with the 33rd, 34th and 35th Battalions, it formed the 9th Brigade, attached to the 3rd Division.[1] The battalion left Sydney shortly on 13 May 1916, bound for the United Kingdom. proceeding to Plymouth on the Beltana. Arriving in early July 1916, the battalion spent the next four months in training before being shipped to France via Southhampton.  They took up taking up a position on the Western Front on 4 December 1916, in time to sit out an uncomfortable winter in the trenches.[1]

After enduring several months of trench warfare, Edward was admitted several times to field hospitals with “sore feet” (possibly trench foot), defective vision (likely due to mustard gas) and piles.

Over the course of the next six months, the 36th Battalion was mainly involved in only minor defensive actions and it was not until 7 June 1917 the battalion fought in its first major battle, at Messines.[1] in which Edward likely participated. The battalion participated in the attack on Passchendaele on 12 October 1917, but Edward was likely still in hospital at this time. During this battle, the battalion managed to secure its objective, however, as other units had not been able to do so, the battalion had had to withdraw as its flanks were exposed to German counter-attacks and there was a lack of effective artillery support.[1] For the next five months the 36th Battalion alternated between periods of duty manning the line and training or labouring in the rear areas in Belgium. Having survived both battles, Edward died about two months into this period, three days before Christmas and before his 18th birthday. His is buried in the Cite Bonjean Military Cemetary.

He was awarded the Victory medal posthumously.

Effect on his family: On receiving a photograph of her son’s grave, Ada sorrowfully pointedly out in a letter to the war office that his age was incorrect, that he had not been 18 when he died for his country.

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Biography contributed by Faithe Jones

PRIVATE EDWARD OWEN EDWARDS, who was killed in action in France, was the youngest son of Mrs. Betts, of Smithfield. Deceased enlisted on 11th January, 1916 and sailed 13th May of the same year, He was engaged as acting signaller for some time in France, but owing to defective eyesight, caused by shell shock, he had to return to the trenches. Deceased was 17 years and 11 months old.

Biography

Enlisted aged 16 years and 3 days

"...750 Private Edward Owen Edwards, 36th Battalion of Smithfield, NSW. A drover prior to enlisting, he embarked from Sydney aboard HMAT Beltana (A72) on 31 May 1916. On 20 December 1917, he was killed in action at Armentieres, France, aged 19. He is buried in the Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery, Armentieres, France." - SOURCE (www.awm.gov.au)

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