EDGE, Robert Richard
| Service Number: | 6318 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 27th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Wednesfield, near Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England , 1872 |
| Home Town: | Wagin, Wagin, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Bourne College, Birmingham, England |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Tubercle of Lung, Military Hospital, Fovant, Wiltshire, England , 4 April 1918 |
| Cemetery: |
Fovant (St. George) Churchyard, Wiltshire - South West, England |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Kings Park Western Australia State War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 23 Dec 1916: | Involvement Private, 6318, 27th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Fremantle embarkation_ship: HMAT Berrima embarkation_ship_number: A35 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 23 Dec 1916: | Embarked Private, 6318, 27th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Berrima, Fremantle |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Cathy Sedgwick
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick (OAM) – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland”
Died on this date – 4th April …… Robert Richard Edge was born in 1872 at Wednesfield, near Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England to parents Robert and Rachel Edge (nee Cooper).
Robert Richard Edge (father’s name Robert Edge), aged 22 & a professional Footballer married Gertrude Taylor on 28th February, 1895 at St. Paul’s Church, Burslem, Stafford, England.] [possibly the same Robert Richard Edge ?]
According to information supplied by his sister for the Roll of Honour - Robert Richard Edge came to Australia when he was 39 years old. A “Mr Robert Edge”, Chemist’s Assistant, aged 36, was a passenger on Moravain which had departed from London & arrived at Melbourne, Australia on 2nd March, 1909. Mr Edge had disembarked at the port of Fremantle, Western Australia.
He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 19th October, 1916 as a 44 year old, single, Labourer from Wagin, Western Australia.
Private Robert Richard Edge, Service number 6318, embarked from Fremantle, Western Australia on HMAT Berrima (A35) on 23rd December, 1916 with the 27th Infantry Battalion, 18th Reinforcements & disembarked at Devonport, England on 16th February, 1917.
Reinforcements were only given basic training in Australia. Training was completed in training units in England. Some of these were located in the Salisbury Plain & surrounding areas in the county of Wiltshire.
On 18th February, 1917 Private Edge was marched in from Australia to 7th Training Battalion at Rollestone, Wiltshire, England.
He was sent sick to Fargo Military Hospital, Wiltshire on 20th April, 1917 & then admitted with Influenza. He was discharged to Depot on 30th April, 1917 & was marched in to 7th Training Battalion at Rollestone from Hospital on the same day.
Private Robert Richard Edge was classified as P.B. (Permanent Base - usually meant that the soldier was unfit for active service and only employable in the base area) at Rollestone on 16th August, 1917.
On 7th November, 1917 Private Edge was marched out from 7th Training Battalion & marched in to 6th Training Battalion at Fovant, Wiltshire on 8th November, 1917.
He was admitted to Military Hospital at Fovant on 21st January, 1918 – N.Y.D. (Cause not yet determined). Hospital Report reads that Private Edge was admitted with Bronchitis but the physical examination showed him to be suffering from Tubercle of Lung. He later “became much emaciated and died from exhaustion.”
Private Robert Richard Edge died at 5.20 am on 4th April, 1918 at Military Hospital, Fovant, Wiltshire, England from Tubercle of Lung.
He was buried in St George’s Churchyard, Fovant, Wiltshire, England where 43 other WW1 Australian War Graves are located.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/a---g.html
Click images to start slideshow.