ZERBE, Edward Herman
| Service Number: | 2453 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 21st Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Doncaster, Victoria, Australia, 15 January 1891 |
| Home Town: | Doncaster, Manningham, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Orchardist |
| Died: | Box Hill, Victoria, Australia , 4 April 1957, aged 66 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 12 Jul 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 2453, 21st Infantry Battalion, RMS Osterley, Melbourne | |
|---|---|---|
| 29 Sep 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 2453, 21st Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '13' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: RMS Osterley embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: '' | |
| 19 Oct 1918: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 24th Infantry Battalion, 21st Battalion decimated and disbanded - Brigades all reduced to three Battalions, | |
| 23 May 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 2453, 21st Infantry Battalion |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Susan Weisser
Edward Herman Zerbe joined the AIF on 12 July 1915. He was 24 years old and an Orchardist – Service Number 2453. He left Australia on 29 September 1915 and initially served as part of the 21st Battalion. The Batallion was sent as reinforcements to Gallipoli in September 1915. The Battalion was withdrawn from Gallipoli in December 1915 and in mid 1916 the Battalion was sent to France where throughout 1916/17 and first half of 1918 they took part in the Battles at Pozieres and Mouquet Farm, the 2nd battle of Bullecourt, the German Spring Offensive and the Hundred Days Offensive. During this time Edward had a short hospitalisation from 17 February – 2 March 1917 with a Septic Knee.
By September 1918 as a result of heavy losses the 21st Battalion had fallen to the level that they could barely muster a company of fit men (a company is 100-225 soldiers). The 21st Battalion had suffered 872 men killed and 2,434 wounded. The 21st Battalion was disbanded on 19 October 1918 and Edward was transferred to 24th Battalion. Only a few months after his transfer Edward was admitted to hospital with bronco-pneumonia. He was severely ill and transferred back to England and admitted to the Red Cross Hospital at Chelmsford. When he recovered he was returned to Australia on the Lancashire on 7 February 1919. His subsequent medical examination back in Australia noted that he “complains of shortness of breath, weakness and aneurysm, heart sounds soft, looks depressed and nervy, tremulous and sweaty hands. Lungs right.” He was assessed as “Class B” which was having a medical condition aggravated by Military Service and discharged medically unfit on 23 May 1919. The assessment indicated that the condition was not permanent, would likely resolve in 6 months but his work capacity was reduced by 50%.