Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

William Laurence Edwards was born on the 27th of November 1914, in Croydon, Queensland to Charles and Margaret Edwards. He worked as a window dresser at J Kitchen and Sons, before enlisting into the Australian Army on the 29th of May 1940.

William was posted to the 2/7 Field Company, and after basic training, embarked for the Middle East from Sydney in November 1940. He arrived in Haifa in Palestine in late December 1941, proceeding to the allied forces camp at Qastina, Palestine. In January 1941, with his unit William proceeded to Agedabia in Libya to set up water supply to the advancing military.

During the withdrawal to Tobruk, William’s unit were involved with carrying out demolition projects to slow the advancing axis forces. Then during the Siege of Tobruk, his unit was involved with general engineering projects in support of the allied forces.

Tragically within the final months of Siege of Tobruk, William was killed in action on the 14th of September 1941, his unit was relieved from front line service later that month and was redeployed to Beit Jirja, Palestine. William has no known grave and is remembered on the El Alamein Memorial.

His death was reported in the Townsville Daily Bulletin on Friday the 26th of September 1941, on page 4 in the “Personal” column –

“Mr. H E Edwards of Tenth Avenue, Railway Estate, has been advised that his brother, Sapper William Laurence (Bill) Edwards, was killed in action in Tobruk on September 14. Deceased who was 27 years of age, was born in Croydon, but spent most of his life in Townsville. Before enlisting he was in the employment of J. Kitchen and Sons.”

References –

·         2/7th Australian Field Company - Our Contribution

·         AWM Website

·         Trove NLA Website

·         NAA Website

·         WW2 Nominal Website

·         QLD BDM Website

S Cox, PM, January 2025