Harry EDWARDS

EDWARDS, Harry

Service Number: 574
Enlisted: 16 March 1916, An original of B Company
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 37th Infantry Battalion
Born: Shepparton, Victoria, Australia, 4 February 1886
Home Town: Mooroopna, Greater Shepparton, Victoria
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Labourer
Died: Killed in Action, Houplines, France, 28 January 1917, aged 30 years
Cemetery: No known grave - "Known Unto God"
Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Mooroopna War Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial (Australian National Memorial - France)
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World War 1 Service

16 Mar 1916: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 574, 37th Infantry Battalion, An original of B Company
3 Jun 1916: Involvement Private, 574, 37th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Persic embarkation_ship_number: A34 public_note: ''
3 Jun 1916: Embarked Private, 574, 37th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Persic, Melbourne

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Biography contributed by Stephen Brooks

From his Red Cross Wounded and Missing file numerous witnesses stated Edwards was killed in action during a raid on the German trenches at Houplines by the 37th Battalion on 28 January 1917. The wire was not cut and casualties were heavy, the enemy machine guns opened fire whilst the raiders were trying to get over the wire and they did not get into the enemy trenches. 13 men from the unit were killed during this raid.

Harry had three brothers who also enlisted, one of them 580 Robert Edwards 37th Battalion AIF returned to Australia in 1918 and was discharged medically unfit. Robert died in the Mooroopna Hospital on 29 April 1919, age 22. His name is not recorded on the Roll of Honour.

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