Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Edward was only 19 when he decided to emigrate from the UK as an unassisted passenger to Australia just before Christmas 1910. He lhad ived in a small village of Fishtoft near Boston, Lincolnshire and all of his family worked in various roles as part of the local agricultural community. His father said that Edward's calling was that of a groom and working with horses, but when he embarked on the Moravian to Australia he gave his occupation as a Carter, but had advertised himself as looking for work as a groom in the local newspaper. He was of an age where going to Australia at this time offered more opportunities to make a more succesful life. He settled in Hillston New South Wales and worked for some time as a carter and helped out at the local bakery owned by the Jewell family. His father said that they did not hear anymore from him once he left home, so maybe there was more behind the decision to move than we will know. War in Europe meant that men were being recruited to join the AIF and Edward enlisted in Hillston in August 1915. He landed in France and marched to Pozieres. His army records show that he was hospitalised with scabies on several occasions between fighting. He was part of the 4th Battalion and therefore took part in the terrible fighting around Mouquet farm. One can only speculate on what he endured from first hand accounts of the time. He was killed in action the day after his 25th Birthday. The Australians came under terrifying German artillery bombardment as they inched towards Mouquet Farm. Records list Edward with the abbreviation KIA and no known grave. However a very faint addition in pencil had been added at the bottom of a page which said he had been buried between Pozieres and Mouquet Farm, possibly in the cemetery and also there is a set of co-ordinates.  A letter found in his records from John Jewell who owned the Bakery asked after his effects, but these had been sent to his father. The Hillston Advertiser recorded his death and speaks well of Edward as being a valued member of the local community. An article in the Lincolshire paper in 1928 tells of an Iced Christmas cake arriving to Edward's parents 'in splendid condition' from the bakery in Hillston 12 years after Edward's death, so this may be an indication of the high regard and that they still thought of him. There is no known anecdotal evidence to add substance to the little known character of Edward, but his contribution in fighting for his adopted country perhaps indicates something of the man he was.