EDWARDS, Owen William
| Service Number: | 769 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 10 December 1914, Mitchell, Queensland |
| Last Rank: | Driver |
| Last Unit: | 2nd Light Horse Regiment |
| Born: | Mitchell, Queensland, Australia , 19 January 1894 |
| Home Town: | Mitchell, Maranoa, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Stockman |
| Died: | Natural causes, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia , 6 September 1971, aged 77 years |
| Cemetery: |
Queensland Garden Of Remembrance (Pinnaroo) Wall 11 Row T |
| Memorials: | Mitchell Memorial Walls |
World War 1 Service
| 10 Dec 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 769, 2nd Light Horse Regiment, Mitchell, Queensland | |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Feb 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 769, 2nd Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Itria, Brisbane | |
| 9 Feb 1915: |
Involvement
AIF WW1, Private, 769, 2nd Light Horse Regiment, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '1' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Itria embarkation_ship_number: A53 public_note: '' |
|
| 15 May 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Trooper, 769, 2nd Light Horse Regiment, ANZAC / Gallipoli | |
| 3 May 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Driver, 2nd Light Horse Regiment | |
| 30 Oct 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Trooper, 769, 2nd Light Horse Regiment, Battle of Beersheba | |
| 31 Oct 1917: | Wounded Battle of Beersheba, GSW - right arm (later amputated) | |
| 7 Mar 1918: | Discharged AIF WW1, Driver, 769, 2nd Light Horse Regiment |
My Great Uncle Owen
I lived in a two story family home at 39 Gibb St, Kelvin Grove, Qld., with my sisters and parents. Uncle Owen also lived with us there in a home which had five bedrooms, two kitchens, and two bathrooms.
Uncle Owen had his own kitchen where I used to go and see him. He ALWAYS had freddo frogs in his fridge, not just half dozen, but more than twenty, plus lots of lollies, jubes, fantals, and also lots of big oranges - he loved oranges.
We didn't have sliced bread in the late fifties so uncle had to slice the bread with his one arm - it wasn't easy for him. After that he would wrap it up in a tea-towel to keep the bread fresh. I remember Owen brought me a Bride Doll for Christmas one year, she was beautiful and she could walk and her eyes would close when I layed her down.
Uncle Owen used to love to draw in pencil and sit at his writing desk which I have still today. Also he did some drawings of his mother and sister in the home at Kelvin Grove and I have them to in my home. He would give me money to take to school to buy my lunch thoses days it was pounds shillings and pence.On my wedding day my husband Daryl and I went and visited uncle I wore my wedding dress and he was so happy to see us he gave us electric fryingpan electric jug and electric toaster which back then would of cost a lot of money. When I had my first baby girl Amanda I took her over to meet him he gave her some Freddo Frogs just like he did to me he said what a lovely pretty little girl.
Miss you Uncle Owen Your loving great niece Judith Smerdon.
Submitted 11 April 2016 by Judith Smerdon
Biography contributed
769 Pte. Owen William Edwards enlisted with the 2nd Lighthorse, 3rd reinforcements, and was the second son to enlist of the four sons of Richard and Amelia Anne (Owen) Edwards, of "Chevy Chase", a property just south of Mitchell, Q., all four boys enlisted for Service. They were;
347 Pte. Arthur Guy Edwards, survived the landing at Gallipoli and the entire campaign, Arthur was killed at Bullecourt 08 May 1917, aged 25.
5392 Pte. John Max Edwards, was the youngest son, he was "blown to pieces" about 6 weeks after disembarking at Marseilles for his first taste of the war, at Mouquet Farm on 08 Aug 1916, aged 20.
5963 Pte. Frederick Richard Charles Edwards, Survived the war and died in 1961 aged 73
Owen served at Gallipoli, and in 1917 was shot in the arm during the charge of the Lighthorse at Beersheba and the arm had to be amputated. Owen was eventually invalided home to Australia where he cared for his widowed mother.
"FOUR SONS AT THE FRONT.
Mr. and Mrs. R. Edwards, of Chevy Chase, Mitchell, have four sons at the war-we should rather say "had" four sons, for two have made the supreme sacrifice. Word came through on May 21 that Corporal A. G. Edwards died of wounds at Bullecourt on May 8. He was the second son of Mr. and Mrs. Edwards, and volunteered in August, 1914, went through the whole Gallipoli campaign without a scratch, went to France with the first Australians, was wounded at Pozieres in July, 1916, was sent to the school of instruction, and had returned to the trenches a few weeks, when he was fatally wounded. Only a few days previously word had come that the youngest son, Private J. M. Edwards, who had been missing since August 8, 1916, was killed in action on that date. The eldest son, Private F. R. C. Edwards, is at present in France. These three all joined infantry battalions. The third son, Private O. W. Edwards, of a Light Horse Regiment, enlisted in 1914, was at Gallipoli, and is at present in Egypt." - from the Queenslander 23 Jun 1917
"Tpr. O. W. Edwards, who recently returned home to Mitchell, after nearly three years' service, was presented with a cheque of £15 at a Welcome Home. This lad was unfortunate enough to lose his right arm." - from the Western Star and Roma Advertiser 20 Feb 1918
Click images to start slideshow.