EDNEY, John Edward
| Service Numbers: | 2625, 2625A |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 19 July 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 59th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Rochford, Victoria, Australia, 1892 |
| Home Town: | Leongatha, South Gippsland, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Drouin West and Leongatha Schools, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Grocer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 19 July 1916 |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Leongatha Fallen Soldiers Honour Roll, V.C. Corner Australian Cemetery Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 19 Jul 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2625, Depot Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 27 Oct 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2625, 23rd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '14' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ulysses embarkation_ship_number: A38 public_note: '' | |
| 27 Oct 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 2625, 23rd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ulysses, Melbourne | |
| 19 Jul 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2625A, 59th Infantry Battalion, Fromelles (Fleurbaix), --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 2625A awm_unit: 59th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1916-07-19 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Tony Edney
Jack would qualify as one of the 'fair dinkums' having signed up for service only months after the horrors and long casualty lists of the Gallipoli campaign became etched into public consciousness. These men certainly knew they would not be home by Christmas!
He was 23 years old from the small dairying community of Leongatha in South Gippsland and he worked in his father's general store, much loved by his parents, sisters and brother.
From his Attestation Paper we know he was 5 ft 5 in tall with light brown hair and eyes.
On arrival in Egypt in early 1916 he joined the 59 th Battalion, of the 15 th Brigade, under soon to be legendary Brig Gen Harold Elliot, and most likely took part in the horrifying Desert March that saw the 5th Division march around 40 miles from Tel el Kebir to the Suez Canal in heavy woollen uniforms carrying rifles, 120 round of ammunition and full kit, but nowhere near enough water.
He disembarked in Marseilles on 29 June 1916 travelling by train through the delightful French countryside to the Western Front in Northern France. By 12 July he was in the forward trenches facing the enemy who were heavily dug in and fortified outside the small village of Fromelles, everyone aware of an impending attack on the German lines, an exercise of unconscionable futility, given the strength of the enemy position and the terrain, a narrow strip of flat boggy land between the opposing sides.
Late in the day on the 19th July the attack began, Jack climbed out his shallow trench and charged the enemy. He did not get very far before the bag of grenades he was carrying copped a direct hit and his life and body were obliterated, exactly one year to the day after he had enlisted.
His unit went into battle 880 strong but according to one report, only 77 unwounded men answered a roll call, bringing Gen Elliot to tears over this grievous loss to his, reported to be, favourite battalion. Officially the 59th had 695 casualities.
Declared missing in action it took years of correspondence between Jack's father, Alfred, and the AIF to get a final resolution about the circumstances of his death, these letters a poignant reminder of the grief experienced by every Australian family who lost a son, particularly without knowing the details of how it came about, and having the chance to close that sad chapter in their lives.
While no identified remains were found of Jack Edney his sacrifice is recorded at the VC Corner Cemetery near Fromelles, along with 1299 other deaths from the battle.
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