Edward COOMBE

COOMBE, Edward

Service Numbers: 267, 3631
Enlisted: 7 June 1917
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 43rd Infantry Battalion
Born: Norwood, South Australia, 15 February 1875
Home Town: Norwood (SA), South Australia
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Motor Mechanic
Died: Adelaide, South Australia, 15 December 1925, aged 50 years, cause of death not yet discovered
Cemetery: West Terrace Cemetery (AIF Section)
Section: Light Oval; Row: 8S; C/E/W: E; Site #: 9
Memorials:
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Boer War Service

1 Oct 1899: Involvement Private, 267, 2nd Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen

World War 1 Service

7 Jun 1917: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3631
16 Jul 1917: Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 3631, 10th Infantry Battalion
24 Dec 1917: Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 43rd Infantry Battalion

Private Edward Coombe

From How We Served

3631 Private Edward Coombe of Bowden, South Australia was employed as a motor mechanic and was a veteran of the Boer War where he had served with the 2nd Bushman’s Contingent, prior to his enlisting for War Service on the 7th of June 1917.

Allocated to reinforcements for the 43rd Battalion 1st AIF, Edward embarked for England and further training on the 16th of July and arrived in the trenches to be taken on strength with his Unit on the 24th of December. Edwards service, in this his second War, would be plagued by sickness, and after being hospitalised on multiple occasions and returning each time back to his Battalion, his psychological and physical health finally fully broke down whilst he was serving in Northern France.

Edward was evacuated back to England via Havre on the 7th of April 1918 and by the 6th of June he was deemed as suffering premature senility and was embarked for his return to Australia as an invalid. Following his arrival in Adelaide, Edward would be formally discharged from the 1st AIF on the 15th of August 1918 and re-entered into civilian life. Edward’s physical and mental health was never to recover fully and on the 15th of December 1923, at the premature age of 50, Edward passed away whilst in Adelaide.

Following Edward's death this two War veteran was formally laid to rest within West Terrace Cemetery, South Australia.

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Biography

Rootsweb ID: I136214 Birth Record: 15 Feb 1875 in Norwood, South Australia

Wife, Hilda Maud Coombe, Drayton Street, Bowden, South Australia
5 children

Previous service:
Boer War service #267   Served for 15 months in the Bushmen's Corps.
Enlisted in Tasmania;  noted as a Saddler

WWI service #3631
Described on enlisting as 42yrs 4mths old; married; 5' 6.5" tall; 150 lbs;
sallow complexion; blue eyes; grey hair; Church of England

7/6/1917      enlisted into WWI in Adelaide, SA

12/7/1917    apppointed to 10th reinforcements / 48th Infantry Battalion
                   Mitcham Camp

12/7/1917    entrained to Sydney

16/7/1917    embarked out of Sydney, NSW onboard A16 Port Melbourne
16/9/1917    disembarked into Liverpool, England

17/9/1917    marched in to 12th Training Battalion, Cosford, England

18/12/1917  proceeded overseas to France, via Southampton, England
21/12/1917  taken on strength of 43rd Battalion

28/12/1917  sick to hospital
6/1/1918      rejoned unit, France

30/3/1918    sick to hospital
5/4/1918      rejoined unit, France
7/4/1918      returned to hospital
12/4/1918    admitted to General Hospital
6/5/1918      transferred to England - rheumatism

6/6/1918      returned to Australia onboard D11 HT Barambah (premature senility)
31/7/1918    disembarked into Australia

15/8/1918    discharged from service

Medals:        British War medal (20783) and Victory medal (20292)

Total service: 1 years 70 days (1 year 16 days overseas)

15/12/1925   passed away
buried in:      West Terrace Cemetery - AIF Cemetery
                    Section: Light Oval; Row: 8S; C/E/W: E; Site #: 9  

Sourced and submitted by Julianne T Ryan.  7/5/2016.  Lest we forget.

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