Edgar John (Ted) RULE MC, MM

RULE, Edgar John

Service Numbers: 2636, 2638, V45407, V30002
Enlisted: 28 June 1915
Last Rank: Lieutenant
Last Unit: 14th Infantry Battalion
Born: Cobar, New South Wales, Australia, 26 January 1886
Home Town: Cobar, Cobar, New South Wales
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Railway Foreman/orchardist
Died: Sheparton, Victoria, Australia, 22 July 1958, aged 72 years, cause of death not yet discovered
Cemetery: Not yet discovered
Memorials: Parkes District Roll of Honor
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World War 1 Service

28 Jun 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2636, 14th Infantry Battalion
15 Sep 1915: Involvement Private, 2636, 14th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '11' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: SS Makarini embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: ''
1 Dec 1915: Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 14th Infantry Battalion
2 Jun 1916: Promoted AIF WW1, Sergeant, 14th Infantry Battalion
28 Aug 1916: Wounded AIF WW1, Sergeant, 2636, 14th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières
19 Apr 1917: Honoured Military Medal, Mouquet Farm, Night 27th/28th August, 1916 at MOUQUET FARM. For leading bombing squads which successfully entered enemy strong point 54, and pushed forward into strongly held communication trenches, holding same, and inflicting heavy casualties on a large body of the enemy troops, and thus covering our consolidating party.
20 Apr 1917: Promoted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 14th Infantry Battalion
16 Oct 1917: Wounded AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 2638, 14th Infantry Battalion, 1st Passchendaele
31 Dec 1917: Promoted AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 14th Infantry Battalion
9 Jun 1919: Discharged AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 2636, 14th Infantry Battalion, Member and author of 'Jacka's mob'
20 Mar 1920: Honoured Military Cross, "The Last Hundred Days", For fine courage and dash near Ascension Wood, on 18th September 1918. He displayed good leadership in manoeuvring his platoon across absolutely open ground under heavy fire, and was the first man into the enemy line, when he with a small party established a block until the remainder of the company got in.

World War 2 Service

5 Jun 1940: Enlisted V45407
25 Jun 1940: Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Lieutenant, V30002

Of the 1st Division coming out of the line at Pozieres

"like men who had been in Hell.........drawn and haggard and so dazed they appeared to be walking in a dream, and their eyes looked glassy and starey" (Ed...the proverbial 'thousand yard stare')

'Raid on Celtic Wood', Robert Kearney ISBN 978 1921 207 103 2017 Digital Print Australia pp28

Awarded the Military Cross

Military Cross

'For fine courage and dash near Ascension Wood, on 18th September 1918. He displayed good leadership in manoeuvring his platoon across absolutely open ground under heavy fire, and was the first man into the enemy line, when he with a small party established a block until the remainder of the company got in. Assuming command, he attacked along the trench capturing fifteen machine guns and killing a large number of the enemy, and winning some 800 yards of enemy line.'
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 30
Date: 25 March 1920

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Awarded the Military Medal


'Night 27th/28th August, 1916 at MOUQUET FARM. For leading bombing squads which successfully entered enemy strong point 54, and pushed forward into strongly held communication trenches, holding same, and inflicting heavy casualties on a large body of the enemy troops, and thus covering our consolidating party. These two N.C.O.s [RULE and 619 John James MYERS] threw bombs untiringly, and it is due to their personal heroism that the enemy were held back for some time, thus giving us time to prepare for their counter attack. They stood to their posts under heavy shell fire with undaunted courage.'
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 62
Date: 19 April 1917

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Biography contributed by Evan Evans

Jacka's Mob author information

In 1915, Edgar (Ted) Rule was a orchardist whose farm was located near Shepparton Victoria. He was inspired by the Gallipoli landings  to join the AIF. He enlisted with the reinforcements for the 14th Battalion on the June 28th, 1915. 

He kept a diary from the time he landed on Gallipoli with his reinforcements of the 14th Battalion. He continued his diary throughout the war having served in many battles including Pozieres Bullecourt Messines 1917 Amiens Albert 1918. During the war, he was awarded two gallantry medals the Military Medal in 1916 and the Military Cross in 1917. 

After the war Rule returned to his farm. Sometime later, Edgar Rule's diary became known to Charles Bean. Bean had the diary typed and urged Rule to have the diary published. Rule worked towards having the diary published as a based on narrative book making use of aliases to protect the identity and reputations of men many of whom were still alive in 1932. 

After the death of Albert Jacka in 1932 in admiration he changed the name of his proposed book from 'These Australians' to Jacka's Mob. 

Jacka's Mob was 1st published in 1933 and a 2nd edition was quickly reprinted in that same year. Jacka's Mob was never printed again as a single volume. Thus with the emergence of the greater interest in genealogy and military research the original 1933 books have been highly sought after. 

Rule also served in WWII

Edgar Rule died on the 22nd July 1958.

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