MUNCE, Edwyn Gerald
| Service Number: | 1594 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 29 December 1914, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Last Rank: | Lance Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 9th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Mackay, Queensland, 8 July 1892 |
| Home Town: | Brisbane, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Brisbane's Central State School |
| Occupation: | Mechanic/Engineer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Pozières, France, 23 July 1916, aged 24 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" No known Grave, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Milton Christ Church Honour Board, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial (Australian National Memorial - France) |
World War 1 Service
| 29 Dec 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1594, Brisbane, Queensland | |
|---|---|---|
| 13 Feb 1915: |
Involvement
AIF WW1, Private, 1594, 9th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '9' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Seang Choon embarkation_ship_number: A49 public_note: '' |
|
| 13 Feb 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 1594, 9th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Seang Choon, Brisbane | |
| 6 May 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 1594, 9th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli | |
| 23 Jul 1916: |
Involvement
AIF WW1, Lance Sergeant, 1594, 9th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 1594 awm_unit: 9th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Sergeant awm_died_date: 1916-07-23 |
“How can a Man Die Better”
"How can a Man die Better?” – (The words from his death notice which was placed in the Queensland newspapers by his parents).
Edwyn Gerald Munce SERN: 1594 Lance-Sergeant
08 Jul 1892: Born in Mackay, Queensland
29 Dec 1914: Enlisted in Brisbane (Private – SERN: 1594)
13 Feb 1915: Embarked from Brisbane HMAT A49 Seang Choon
06 May 1915: Joined Unit - 9th Infantry Battalion (ANZAC Gallipoli)
Unknown date: Evacuated from Gallipoli to Lemnos
04 Jan 1916: Embarked from Mudros to Alexandria (Grampian)
18 Mar 1916: Promoted Corporal
27 Mar 1916: Embarked from Alexandria (Saxonia)
03 Apr 1916: Disembarked at Marseilles to join British Expeditionary Forces
20 Apr 1916: Wounded in action (shrapnel wound to back) to Etaples hospital
20 Apr 1916: Commended for gallant conduct (wounded during the shelling of Rouge de Boute
02 Jun 1916: Rejoined Unit
14 Jul 1916: Promoted to Lance Sargent
23 Jul 1916: Killed in Action (first day of the Battle of Pozieres
Place of Burial “Known only unto God” (Villers-Bretonneux Memorial)
08 Aug 1916: Awarded the Military Medal (London Gazette 2901 Page 7891)
Medals : Military Medal, 1914/15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal, Deadman’s Penny Plaque
1967: 50th Anniversary of Gallipoli Medallion
Submitted 25 September 2014 by Alan Williams
Biography
Brother of 34633 CQM/Sgt. Owen McKenny MUNCE (/explore/people/371816), 12 Battery, 4th Field Artillery Brigade who returned from active service.
"...1594 Private Edwyn Gerald Munce, 9th Battalion. An engineer from Rosalie, Queensland prior to enlistment, Pte Munce embarked with the 3rd Reinforcements from Brisbane on HMAT Seang Choon on 13 February 1915. After serving at Gallipoli he was promoted to Corporal in France where he was wounded in action and awarded the Military Medal. Later promoted to Lance Sergeant, he was killed in action on 23 July 1916 at Pozieres, aged 24, and is commemorated on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial." - SOURCE (www.awm.gov.au)
"Mr C. Munce (Railway Construction Branch, Brisbane) and Mrs Munce yesterday received the sad news that their youngest son, Sergeant Edwyn Gerald Munce, was killed in action in France on July 29. The deceased soldier, who was 24 years of age last month, was a native of Mackay, and prior to enlisting was engaged in farming on the Darling Downs. He was seven months in the trenches in Gallipoli. In a battalion order issued on June 9, a copy of which was also received by Mr. and Mrs. Munce yesterday, the following appeared:-
"The G.O.C. in Chief has awarded the following decoration - military medal - to No. 1594, Corporal E. G. Munce. The congratulations of the Corps Commander have been extended to the recipient. The Commanding Officer also heartily congratulates Corporal Munce, and is pleased that additional honour has been added to the great name of the Ninth by another of its gallant members. The heroic action that won for Corporal Munce this distinction was at ---- during the heavy shelling on the 20th April, 1916. Although badly wounded he remained at his post, and rendered valuable help in tending and evacuating the wounded." - from the Brisbane Courier 16 Aug 1916 (nla.gov.au)
"MUNCE.-On the 29th July ultimo, in France, Sergeant Edwyn Gerald Munce (military medal), A.I.F., younger son of Clement and Marion Munce, of Brisbane, aged 21 years.
"How can man die better?" - from the Brisbane Courier 16 Aug 1916 (nla.gov.au)
Service Medals: Military Medal, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
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