Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Frederick Joseph Edwards was born at Forest Range in August 1880, according to his enlistment attestation paper. He enlisted on the 5th January 1916, giving his civilian occupation as a navvy. Edwards was assigned to the 5th Tunnelling Company.
Edwards was admitted to Tidworth Military Hospital on the 8th February 1917, being diagnosed with having myalgia {muscular rheumatism}. He continued to suffer from chronic osteo-arthritis and on the 13th April 1917 he boarded the M.T. Barambah to return to Australia. Edwards bisembarked on the 5th June
1917 and was discharged as medically unfit. On the 1st December 1917 the Australian Government granted a pension for Edwards, his wife and their four children.
Illness plagued Edwards as was borne out by the medical report on his discharge. It stated that shortly after his arrival in England he was hospitalised with a chill. Upon returning to active service Edwards contracted another chill that led to rheumatism, necessitating a convalescent period of six weeks in Newbury. A further medical report on the 19th December 1921 conducted in Melbourne stated Edwards was “…. very pale and anaemic ….marked signs of osteo-arthritis in ankles, knees and shoulders …much wasting of leg muscles.”{NAA B2455, 4084.}