JESPERSON, Edward Walter
| Service Number: | 5692 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 12 February 1916, Sydney, New South Wales |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 17th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Lunderskov, Vejle, Denmark, 26 August 1878 |
| Home Town: | Hornsby, Hornsby Shire, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Stone mason, Musician (violin) |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Lagincourt, France, 15 April 1917, aged 38 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial (Australian National Memorial - France) |
World War 1 Service
| 12 Feb 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 5692, Sydney, New South Wales | |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Sep 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 5692, 17th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '12' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Euripides embarkation_ship_number: A14 public_note: '' | |
| 9 Sep 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 5692, 17th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Euripides, Sydney | |
| 15 Apr 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 5692, 17th Infantry Battalion, Bullecourt (Second), Killed in action during German counter attack after his machine gun position was over run near the sunken road at Lagnicourt. Initially Missing in action later accounts of other soldiers varied as to how or whether he had died or been wounded and taken prisoner. AWM records regarding the investigation into his going missing. Numerous accounts including from brother in law P. RYAN. Who concluded he had died in the engagement. |
Edward Walter JESPERSON
Born Ingvard Valdemar JESPERSON in Lunderskov, Vejle, Denmark on 26th August 1878 he and his family immigrated to Australia. Initially to Queensland and then settled in Sydney. He married Mary RYAN and lived in Albert Street Hornsby on a small acreage. He was a Stone mason by trade but also an accomplished musician playing the violin.
He was killed at Lagincourt, France near Bullecourt on 15th April, 1917, when his machine gun position near a sunken road, was over run by Germans. He was reported missing and reports varied greatly on how he was killed and where he died and was initially buried.
He was eventually moved to Villers Bretonneaux CWGC Cemetry.
Submitted 24 April 2015 by Mark STOREY
Biography contributed by Mark Storey
Emigrated from Denmark to Australia as a child with parents and siblings around 1878. Changed name to English version Edward Walter from Ingevard Valdemir Danish name.
Biography
"...5692 Private Edward Walter Jesperson, 17th Battalion. He was a stonemason by trade before he enlisted at the age of 37. He embarked from Sydney aboard HMAT Euripides (A14) on 9 September 1916 and joined his battalion in France as part of the 15 Reinforcements. Pte Jesperson was killed in action on 15 April 1917. He has no known grave. His name is commemorated on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial." - SOURCE (www.awm.gov.au)
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