Roy Couston EDMUNDS
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Roy Edmunds was born on 26 December 1895 in Launceston, Tasmania. His parents were Walter George (Scotch staff) and Fanny Jane (née Fysh) Edmunds. He attended Scotch from 1911 to 1912.
Roy was a farmer when he enlisted on 2 March 1915 at Claremont, Tasmania. He served in the 26th Battalion and 2nd Pioneer Battalion with the rank of Sergeant Major. His Regimental Number was 1024.
Roy died on 5 July 1916 at St Omer, France. He was 20 years of age.
Service record
Roy Edmunds had experience in the pre-war militia, and was a Sergeant within a week of enlistment in the 26th Battalion in Claremont, Tasmania. He was only 19 on enlistment and his service file contains two permission letters from his parents giving permission for him to serve (see below). His father noted that Roy’s older brother was already serving and concluded: ‘I trust both my sons will uphold the honour of the Flag.’
His obituary in The Scotch Collegian says that he was offered the opportunity of a commission as an officer in June 1915 but refused in order to stay with his mates. He arrived at Gallipoli with his battalion in September. He fell ill with fever in November but remained on Gallipoli until the evacuation in December. For unknown reasons he transferred to the 2nd Pioneer Battalion on 10 March 1916 while still in Egypt. He arrived at Marseille, France on 26 March 1916, and fell ill with meningitis on 13 April. By May his parents were being told there was little chance he would recover.
His file contains a letter from Roy's father expressing frustration at the lack of information and referring to his brother’s wounding at Gallipoli (see below). His Red Cross file says ‘this man gradually got weaker and passed away peacefully at 5.45 p.m. 5th July 1916’. The official cause of death was ‘cerebro spinal fever’.
His The Scotch Collegian obituary said ‘He was a typical Australian, tall and of great strength and agility.’ It noted too that ‘as a member of the Y.M.C.A., he closely identified himself with their work in all the camps, and his quiet, manly, Christian character gained the esteem of his men.’
Roy Edmunds is buried in the Longuenesse (St. Omer) Souvenir Cemetery, France.
Photographs and Documents:
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Letter from Roy Edmunds’ father giving permission for him to enlist
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Letter from Roy’s father 13 June 1916
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Roy Edmunds (then a sergeant) is on the right in this photograph, taken in Hobart, Tasmania, between March and June 1915. The caption identifies him and Sergeant George Horne as both being from Launceston, both having enlisted in the 26th Battalion on 3 March 1915 and having embarked together on HMAT Aeneas on 29 June 1915. They served on Gallipoli from September to the evacuation in December. Horne survived the war, though he was severely wounded at Pozieres and repatriated in 1917.
Sources:
- Australian War Memorial – Roll of Honour and Red Cross Wounded and Missing file
- Mishura Scotch Database
- National Archives of Australia – B2455, EDMUNDS R C
- Scotch Collegian 1916
- The AIF Project - https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=88622