6827
EDWARDS, Fritz William
| Service Number: | 4763 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 1 November 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 50th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia, 1889 |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Wharf Labourer |
| Died: | Result of motor vehicle accident, 11 May 1953, place of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Cheltenham Cemetery, South Australia Drive B, Path 10/11, sec. A, site 311S |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 1 Nov 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, 4763, 50th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Mar 1916: | Involvement Private, 4763, 10th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: RMS Mongolia embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: '' | |
| 9 Mar 1916: | Embarked Private, 4763, 10th Infantry Battalion, RMS Mongolia, Adelaide | |
| 11 Nov 1918: | Involvement Private, 4763, 50th Infantry Battalion | |
| 30 Jun 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, 4763, 50th Infantry Battalion | |
| Date unknown: | Wounded 4763, 50th Infantry Battalion |
Help us honour Fritz William Edwards's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Paul Lemar
William Fitzgibbon EDWARDS was born in Broken Hill NSW in 1889 to John Edward Connelly EDWARDS (1855-1919) and Sarah Ann YOUNG (1860-1932). There were a number of children born to this marriage.
William Fitzgibbon EDWARDS married Minnie Catherine JEWELL (1888-1950) on 19 August 1928 at Port Adelaide. Minnie JEWELL had been previously married to Carl John CHRISTENSON (1884-1927) and had 10 children to that marriage.
William Fitzgibbon EDWARDS died as a result of being struck by a motor vehicle on 11.05.1953. A coroner’s inquest was held into his death.
Military
William Fitzgibbon EDWARDS joined the AIF on 01.11.1915 aged 25 was and was allocated service number 4763. His attestment papers have him listed as enlisting under the name Fritz William EDWARDS. He was posted to the 50th Infantry battalion. It is possible he changed his name given ‘Fritz’ was a very Germanic name at the time or he was illiterate and the attesting office wrote down what he thought was his name.
He originally gave his next of kin as his mother Mrs. Mary EDWARDS of George St, Alberton but it was later changed to Lipson St, Port Adelaide.
He was obviously illiterate and his attestation paper was signed with ‘his mark’. A letter was written by the Red Cross to his mother Mary dated 16.11.1916. It advises he was officially reported wounded with a note that states: “Soldier through bad speech finds difficulty in speaking plainly and has never been educated – cannot write”.
He travelled to France with his battalion in mid 1916 and is recorded as having been wounded in action with a gunshot wound to his leg on 04.09.1916 in France. He was admitted to military hospital in France. He rejoined his unit on 27.11.1916. He was admitted to hospital a number of times for illnesses whilst serving on the Western Front.
He embarked with his battalion to return to Australia on 02.04.1919 and was discharged from the AIF on 30.06.1919.
He was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
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