EDWARDS, Roy William
| Service Number: | 1865 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 28 July 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Lance Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 4th Field Troop Engineers |
| Born: | Myrniong, Victoria, Australia, 1 May 1888 |
| Home Town: | Parwan, Moorabool, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Parwan School, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Agricultural labourer/ Horticulturalist |
| Died: | Brain tumour, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia, 1954 |
| Cemetery: |
Red Cliffs Lawn Cemetery, Victoria |
| Memorials: | Bacchus March Parwan State School, Bacchus Marsh Parwan State School No 916 Roll of Honor, Werribee Shire Great War Roll of Honor |
World War 1 Service
| 28 Jul 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4th Light Horse Regiment | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Jan 1916: | Involvement Private, 1865, 4th Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '2' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Runic embarkation_ship_number: A54 public_note: '' | |
| 20 Jan 1916: | Embarked Private, 1865, 4th Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Runic, Melbourne | |
| 23 Jun 1916: | Transferred 1st ANZAC Cyclist Battalion | |
| 30 Dec 1916: | Transferred 4th Field Troop Engineers, 4th Australian Divisional Engineers, 12th Field Company | |
| 23 Nov 1918: | Promoted Lance Corporal |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Bronwyn Higgs
Born on 1 May, 1888 at Myrniong, Victoria, Roy William Burdon Edwards was the son of Thomas Edwards, a farmer and wheelwright and Honora Jane Edwards, both of Bacchus Marsh. He was given the middle name, "Burdon" in honour of his paternal grandmother, Caroline Burden, a pioneer of the Bacchus Marsh district.
He grew up on his parents' farm, Wilberrie, at Parwan, near Bacchus Marsh. He was very active in the local community - playing football and cricket for the local Bacchus Marsh team, competing in cycling competitions and regularly entering produce at the Bacchus Marsh agricultural show.
Prior to enlisting, Roy worked as an agricultural labourer and was a noted champion cyclist in the district. He enlisted in 1915, trained at Seymour Camp, but due to a serious illness, his departure was delayed until January, 1916. He departed for Alexandria on ship, Runic,
Roy was one of three brothers who enlisted in the AIF, and all returned safely. He served in the 4th Light Horse Regiment, 13th Reinforcement; 1st Cyclist Division and 12th Field Company Engineers where he worked as a driver. He returned to Australia on 13 April, 1919 with his final position given as Lance Corporal.
After the war, he became a soldier settler, taking a block at Red Cliffs (near Mildura), establishing a vineyard and orchard. He primarily grew sultana grapes which were dried and sold to food manufacturers.
He married Mavis Olive Scott of Mildura in 1929 and the couple had two daughters, one who died from diptheria in childhood.
He died on 14 April, 1954 at Heidelberg after suffering from a brain tumour and is buried in an unmarked grave at Red Cliffs Lawn Cemetery, alongside his much loved daughter, Heather (1939-1943). Roy and his two brothers have trees planted in their honour in the Bacchus Marsh Avenue of Honour. Roy's tree is N097.
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