17795
WHYTE , Edgar Wallace
| Service Number: | 5241 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 17 December 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 5th Division Signals AMF |
| Born: | Wandella, South Australia, Australia, 22 July 1894 |
| Home Town: | Kensington Park, Burnside, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Operator |
| Died: | Unknown, Kensington Park, Burnside - South Australia, Australia, 18 January 1975, aged 80 years |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | Adelaide Officers of S.A. Post, Telegraph and Telephone Department HR, Jamestown St James Anglican Church Stained Glass Windows and Turner Brothers Memorial, Marree War Memorial Area |
World War 1 Service
| 17 Dec 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 5241, 10th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 17 Dec 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 5241, 10th Infantry Battalion | |
| 25 Mar 1916: | Involvement Private, 5241, 10th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Shropshire embarkation_ship_number: A9 public_note: '' | |
| 25 Mar 1916: | Embarked Private, 5241, 10th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Shropshire, Adelaide | |
| 25 Mar 1916: | Embarked Private, 10th Infantry Battalion | |
| 28 Jun 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal | |
| 21 Jul 1916: | Wounded AIF WW1, 5241, 5th Division Signals AMF | |
| 11 Nov 1918: | Involvement Corporal, 5241 | |
| 18 Feb 1919: | Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, Post-war | |
| 25 Mar 1920: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 5241 | |
| Date unknown: | Wounded 5241, 10th Infantry Battalion |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Saint Ignatius' College
Mrs G Whyte gave birth to her eldest son Edgar Wallace Whyte, who was born in Wandella, South Australia. Being a Catholic was a big part of Edgar’s childhood. As Edgar got older, he worked as a telephone signaller. This job requires you to have the ability to fix broken telephone wires or fix a broken telephone in general. Telephone signallers were very important at this time as not many people knew how telephones worked as it was a very complicated piece of technology.
War
17th December 1915
On the 17th of December 1915, Edgar Wallace Whyte (21-year 5/12 months) signed up to join the Australian army at Adelaide CBD. His role was being a signaller. Being a signaller was one of the most important and dangerous jobs at war. You had to avoid enemy snipers while trying to fix telephone lines. This was also very important as without this there would be no communication between allies.
21st July 1916
Edgar Wallace Whyte (5241) was sent to hospital with pneumonia. Pneumonia is an infection that inflames the air sacs in your lungs. Illnesses were very common in the war. Dying from an illness was also very common in World War 1. He was sent to an unknown hospital in South Australia. There have been multiple letters written involving his sickness and how he is doing. Letters were sent to his next of kin (Mrs G Whyte, Mother) regarding to his illness. Unfortunately, this was not the only time he was sent to hospital. On the 12th of August 1917, Edgar Wallace Whyte was once again sent to hospital. The reason he was sent to hospital is unknown. Thankfully, he was alright.
15th December 1918
On this day Edgar Wallace Whyte was removed from the 10th battalion for duty at Admin Hqrs, England and he was promoted to Corporal on the 18th February 1919.
Post War
On the 25th of March 1920, Edgar Wallace Whyte was discharged from the Army after serving 4 years 3 months and 8 days. He managed to earn three medals in this time. The British War Medal, Star Medal and the Victory medal.
His service record reveals correspondence between him and the Army Records Department in 1967 as he sought copies of his enlistment and discharge papers which had been lost in house fire on the 10th January 1964. He moved to a unit on Glynburn Rd Kensington Park.
Sadly, at the age of 80, Edgar Wallace Edgar (Service Number 5241) passed away. The Date of death was the 18th of January 1975