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: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Wall 11 Row T |
Memorials: | Mitchell Memorial Walls |
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