Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Blinman in the Flinders Range of South Australia was initially used for sheep farming in the mid 1800’s until copper was discovered. Edward worked in the region as a manganese miner and gave this settlement as his hometown when he enlisted to serve in WWII.
According to his enlistment record, Edward was born in Port Melbourne, Victoria on the 13th November 1912. He enlisted to serve in WWII just after Christmas on the 27th December ’41, aged 29 years old and became SX15714. Unusually, he gave no next of kin, writing ‘No Relations’ as well as no religion.
Blinman’s remoteness may have been intentionally chosen by Edward as he is documented as being the son of Mary Vitoria Ottaline Sievers and John Laurence Fackrell who married in 1904 and whose children including Marion, Margaret, Alfred, Henry and Olga. Of these, Alfred’s birth is registered as being in 1912, the same date as Henry’s. The family were heavily involved in the Port Melbourne Yacht Club with John filling a variety of roles including as Secretary and Commodore. John initially worked in a partnership as one of three directors in the Ulm Trading Company before that partnership was dissolved in 1913 and John became involved in his own real estate company.
Edward initially trained at Woodside in the Adelaide Hills prior to completing a two-week intensive Motor Course in ’42 prior to being attached to the 25th Labour Company. Whilst heading for the Middle East, he was allocated to the 2/48th Battalion reinforcements in August that year. He arrived in the Middle East early in October and served for three months before returning with his battalion to Australia, via Melbourne in February the following year.
Following leave, Edward’s battalion headed to Queensland to train for the tropical conditions they would experience in their next posting to New Guinea. There Edward was to face a very different enemy in extremely different conditions. He arrived in Milne Bay at the beginning of August ’43.
By November ‘43 Edward was severely wounded at a time when the enemy was particularly active with shelling and also their sniper activity. It was possible they knew there was an increase of jeep traffic taking supplies to the Australians’ forward troops in the final assault on Sattelberg. Edward was incredibly fortunate to survive a near fatal wounding, and was placed on the dangerously ill list with a severe gunshot injury to his left leg, having been shot through the lower leg. John Bushell SX13279 from Dunleath Gardens, also in the 2/48th Battalion, was wounded at a similar time, and also listed as dangerously wounded with multiple gunshot wounds to his forearms, perinium, lower leg, foot and his face.
Less than two years after enlisting Edward’s war was over but his personal war had begun. His leg was amputated during December. He was fortunate to survive as he sustained a secondary haemorrhage. He left Port Moresby on the hospital ship, Manunda arriving in Brisbane in December ’43 where he continued to be hospitalised. Once well enough to travel, he returned to South Australia in July ’44 where he was treated for a corneal ulcer and malaria. The initial wound to his leg again required further surgery, with the upper thigh then being amputated. Eventually Edward was able to be reported as ‘No longer on dangerously ill list’.
Two years after enlisting the December issue of the News pronounced Pte. E. Pearson (infantry. Blinman; Major D. H. Pickering (headquarters) Erindale had both recovered from serious illness.’
Edward was finally discharged on the 27th September ’44, classified as ‘medically unfit’.
Post war, the locals of Blinman conducted many fund-raising events, including sports meetings, dances and a Queen competition to raise funds for building a War Memorial Hall. Heavily supported, visitors came from towns as far flung as Quorn to Copley. In November ’49 the Blinman Gymkhana was run with over 300 people attending. During the evening a social was held where Sir George Jenkins (Minister of Agriculture) unveiled the beautiful copper honour roll with the names of the 39 enlistees etched in brass plaques, including Edward’s name. Of the 39 enlistees, five had died, three as prisoners of war in Japanese hands.
48-year-old Edward died on the 2nd November 1961. His cremated remains are at the Heidelberg Crematorium, Springvale Victoria in the Boronia plot, Wall X Niche 59.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.