Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Ted (Edwin John Burchett Waller) was born on 24th April 1895 at Maragen, Macknade, near Ingham in North Queensland. He was the fourth child of Edwin Shepherd Waller and Anne Ursula Hull. Ted graduated from the Hawkesbury Agricultural College in New South Wales, studying there from 1911 to 1913.  On 27 April 1912, Ted won the "third aggregate" prize at the Hawkesbury (N.S.W.) Agricultural College.  A sterling silver medallion (engraved "Burdekin") was presented to him by the college in 1913.

He joined the AIF on 5 January 1916 at the Gympie as a Private in the 19th/15th Battalion (Enoggera), regimental number 5970. At enlistment Ted was 5 ft 7 inches tall and weighed 140 pounds.

Ted embarked at Brisbane 8 August 1916 on HMAT A50 "Itonus" in a convoy of ships to Portsmouth (via Fremantle), disembarking in Plymouth on 18 October 1916.  On 28 Dec 1916 he departed Folkestone for France. On 4 Feb 1917 he transferred to 25th Battalion (4th Australian Division). From 7 April 1917 he Attended No. 2 Officers' Cadet Battalion, Cambridge (where he met Bill Legg, the brother of his future wife). 3 Aug 1917: Appointed 2nd Lieutenant; 29 Aug 1917:  returned to France from Southampton and rejoined 25th Battalion which took part in Battle of Menin Road (20-25 September 1917). 4 Oct 1917: severely wounded at Zonnebeke in the Battle of Broodseinde.  He suffered gunshot wounds in both thighs and right leg, and a fractured tibia. On 12 October 1917 he was listed as dangerously ill. The Battle of Broodseinde was a one-day action in the larger Third Battle of Ypres (also known as Passchendaele) which was fought between July and November 1917. On 30 Jan 1918 Ted embarked for Australia. His A.I.F. service terminated on 8 Jun 1918. Ted had reached the rank of 2nd Lieutenant.

Ted's and future wife Dot's relationship grew during Ted's convalescence in England before his departure for Australia.

The Queenslander, Saturday 30 March 1918 reported "RETURN OF ANOTHER BATCH.  Another large batch of returned wounded and invalid soldiers arrived on Monday afternoon and evening, and were welcomed on the station platform by the Commandant (Brigadier-General Irving). The first train, had on board 142 men, the second 122, and the third 71. At the Military Hospital words of welcome were spoken by the mayor of Brisbane (Alderman M'Master) on behalf of the citizens of Brisbane, the mayor of South Brisbane (Alderman Forrest) on behalf of the citizens of South Brisbane, and representatives of the Government. Capt. Rankin briefly acknowledged the welcome for the men. On the three trains there were 335 men, of whom 299 were invalids."

Ted was still on crutches on his arrival in Australia.  After further convalescence at his parents' home at what is now 146 Agnew Street in Norman Park in Brisbane, he bought a farm at Palmwoods called "Covent Garden" where he moved in about August 1918. This was the beginning of the soldier settlements scheme. His older sister Mabel kept house for him. Ted grew pineapples on a farm called "Covent Garden".

In January 1920 Ted was elected as an auditor of the Palmwoods Fruitgrowers Association for the coming year.

At Ted's wedding to Rosa Legg in 1922 he wore a "Light Horse" uniform.  This may be explained by the following note from an edition of the Hawkesbury Agricultural College magazine: "Sergeant-Major E.J.B. Waller (1911-1913), 15th Battalion, A.I.F., has been recommended for a commission and is now one of the men privileged to wear the white band that we associate with the Light Horse, but which in England means a cadet at an officer's school.  He is located at Cambridge [Emmanuel College].  This course usually extends over a period of four months so that E.J.B. has still a short period to go before being gazetted." 

After their marriage Ted and Rosa moved to Cairns. By 1932 Ted was managing the sugar farming interests of Walker Estates at Hambledon, south of Cairns.

Ted, rosa and their three daughters moved to Meerawa (just south of Aloomba, near Gordonvale) in about the second half of 1935.

In 1958 Ted and Rosa Waller retired to a new 3 bedroom house at 50 Windrest Avenue, Aspley, Brisbane, where Ted created a small orchard in the back yard. Ted died in Greenslopes Repatriation Hospital on 10 May 1976.