GRAHAM, Edward Barry
| Service Number: | 2404 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 17 May 1915, Liverpool, New South Wales |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 2nd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Orange, New South Wales, Australia, 20 May 1890 |
| Home Town: | Parkes, Parkes, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Patrician Brothers School, Orange, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Locomotive Fireman |
| Died: | Died of wounds, France, 8 October 1917, aged 27 years |
| Cemetery: |
Etaples Military Cemetery |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board, Orange Cenotaph, Orange WW1 Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 17 May 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2404, 2nd Infantry Battalion, Liverpool, New South Wales | |
|---|---|---|
| 14 Jul 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2404, 2nd Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Orsova embarkation_ship_number: A67 public_note: '' | |
| 14 Jul 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 2404, 2nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Orsova, Sydney | |
| 4 Nov 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2404, 2nd Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli | |
| 8 Oct 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2404, 2nd Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres |
Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board
Edward Barry GRAHAM, (Service Number 2404) was born on 20 May 1890 at Orange. He first had a permanent position with the NSWGR as a cleaner at Orange in May 1909, though he had been employed casually earlier. By 1911 he had progressed to fireman. In April 1915 he took a cleaner’s position at Parkes, though he almost immediately progressed to fireman on 13 May. The next day he joined the Expeditionary Forces. At the time of enlistment Graham was married, to Elizabeth.
He left Australia through Sydney aboard HMAT ‘Orsova’ on 14 July 1915.
While in a trench at Paschendaele a high explosive shell burst nearby, and he was struck in the head. Although he was carried to the 56th General Hospital died from his wounds there on 8 October 1917. He was buried in the Military Cemetery, Etaples.
Submitted 1 August 2023 by John Oakes
Biography
Wife was Elizabeth (nee Innes)
"Mrs. E. B. Graham, of Park View, Condobolin, has been notified by the Defence Department of the death of her husband, Private Edward Barry Graham, of wounds, on October 8. He was the youngest son of Mrs. Graham, of Parramatta, and late of Orange, and was a grandson of the late John Fitzgerald, of the Mulgan. He was educated at Patrician Brothers' School, Orange, and entered the railway service, where, prior to enlisting in May, 1915, he was an engine driver on the Western line. He left Australia in July of the same year with the 7th Reinforcements, 2nd Battalion. After serving in Gallipoli for some time he took part in the evacuation, and after resting in Egypt, was drafted to France as an Anzac bomber, where he fought in some of the severest battles for 18 months. His nephew, Private Walter Lynch, of Nyngan, was killed in action on June 7, at Bullecourt, and a brother-in-law is still serving. He was well-known, and a general favourite in the western district, where his boyhood was spent. Mr. John Graham, of Stanmore, and Miss Graham, of Randwick, are brother and sister of the deceased soldier. He leaves two infant daughters and a young widow to mourn their loss.—R.I.P." - from the Sydney Catholic Press 25 oct 1917 (nla.gov.au)
Biography contributed by John Oakes
Edward Barry GRAHAM, (Service Number 2404) was born on 20th May 1890 at Orange. He first had a permanent position with the NSW Government Railways as a cleaner at Orange in May 1909,al though he had been employed casually earlier. By 1911 he had progressed to fireman. In April 1915 he took a cleaner’s position at Parkes. Allmost immediately he progressed to fireman on 13th May. The next day he joined the Expeditionary Forces. At the time of enlistment Edward was married, to Elizabeth.
He left Australia from Sydney aboard HMAT ‘Orsova’ on 14th July 1915. After further training in Egypt he joined the 2nd Battalion on Gallipoli in early November. After that campaign ended, he returned to Alexandria in late December. He travelled to France through Marseilles in March 1916.
He was disciplined for failing to report sick, and later for being Absent Without Leave. In December 1916 he was admitted to the 15th Field Ambulance with dental problems. He spent furlough in England in January 1917. In Februaryhe was admitted to hospital with Gonorrhoea. The treatment for this disease lasted 75 days and he did not re-join his Battalion until May.
While in a trench at Paschendaele a high explosive shell burst nearby, and he was struck in the head. Although he was carried to the 56th General Hospital, he died from his wounds there on 8th October 1917. He was buried in the Military Cemetery, Etaples.
- based on notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board
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