The AIF Project

Edwin Francis GLOVER

Regimental number2166
Place of birthDonald, Victoria
SchoolState School, Victoria
ReligionPresbyterian
OccupationFarmer
AddressRosebank, Bindogundra, Parkes, New South Wales
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation20
Height5' 11"
Weight168 lbs
Next of kinFather, Mr Edwin Charles Glover, Rosebank, Bindogundra, Parkes, New South Wales
Previous military serviceNil
Enlistment date23 February 1916
Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll2 March 1916
Place of enlistmentParkes, New South Wales
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name53rd Battalion, 4th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/70/3
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A44 Vestalia on 11 July 1916
Rank from Nominal RollLance Corporal
Unit from Nominal Roll19th Battalion
FateKilled in Action 3 May 1917
Place of death or woundingBullecourt, France
Age at death21
Age at death from cemetery records21
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsAustralian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, France

Villers-Bretonneux is a village about 15 km east of Amiens. The Memorial stands on the high ground ('Hill 104') behind the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery, Fouilloy, which is about 2 km north of Villers-Bretonneux on the east side of the road to Fouilloy.

The Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux is approached through the Military Cemetery, at the end of which is an open grass lawn which leads into a three-sided court. The two pavilions on the left and right are linked by the north and south walls to the back (east) wall, from which rises the focal point of the Memorial, a 105 foot tall tower, of fine ashlar. A staircase leads to an observation platform, 64 feet above the ground, from which further staircases lead to an observation room. This room contains a circular stone tablet with bronze pointers indicating the Somme villages whose names have become synonymous with battles of the Great War; other battle fields in France and Belgium in which Australians fought; and far beyond, Gallipoli and Canberra.

On the three walls, which are faced with Portland stone, are the names of 10,885 Australians who were killed in France and who have no known grave. The 'blocking course' above them bears the names of the Australian Battle Honours.

After the war an appeal in Australia raised £22,700, of which £12,500 came from Victorian school children, with the request that the majority of the funds be used to build a new school in Villers-Bretonneux. The boys' school opened in May 1927, and contains an inscription stating that the school was the gift of Victorian schoolchildren, twelve hundred of whose fathers are buried in the Villers-Bretonneux cemetery, with the names of many more recorded on the Memorial. Villers-Bretonneux is now twinned with Robinvale, Victoria, which has in its main square a memorial to the links between the two towns.

Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
83
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: Edwin and Eliza GLOVER, Roseband, Parkes, New South Wales
Other details

War service: Western Front

Embarked Sydney, 11 July 1916; disembarked Devonport, England, 9 September 1916.

Proceeded overseas to France, 20 November 1916; taken on strength, 19th Bn, in the field, 3 December 1916.

Detached to Bomb School, 15 December 1916; rejoined Bn from detachment.

Appointed Lance Corporal, 27 April 1917.

Reported Missing in Action, 3 May 1917.

Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 11 December 12917, pronounced fate as 'Killed in Action, 3 May 1917'.

Note, Red Cross File No 1170812: 'No trace Germany[.] Cert. by Capt. Mills 10/10/19'.

Statement, 2283 Pte A.E. CHOY, B Company, 19th Bn (patient, Red Cross Hospital, Christchurch, Hants, England), 6 September 1917: 'I was in our attack on Bullecourt on May 3, 1917, just after we went over the top in the first charge. I saw Glover lying dead. I am sure he was quite dead.'

Father wrote to Sir Peter McBride, Agent-General for Victoria, London, 21 November 1917: 'Your kind letter just to hand and I beg to thank Lady McBride and yourself for your kind sympathy[,] also for the trouble you have taken to help me in endeavouring to find out my dear Boy's fate. I will await with intense interest the report of the Stretcher Bearer in question. Somehow I hardly think my Boy was killed as described by Pt[e]. Choy as if he had been so near our own trenches his body must surely have been found and identified by his disc. Pt[e]. Choy's account does not tally with the account written us by my Boy's own Chum, he states on the evening of the 2nd. May they were lying in a sunken road and were to attack at dawn, they were all in excellent spirits. An Officer then placed my son in charge of a small party of rifle grenadiers and his Chum Pt[e]. W. Demprey was placed in a different part of of the field with a party of bayonet men, thus they were parted for the first time since joining at Parkes and entering Bathurst Camp. The attack unfortunately failed and Pt[e]. Demprey did not for a day or two worry about his Chum as men were straggling back in two's and three's. However he got worried when Ted did not appear and he questioned every man in the Battalion that knew anything of Ted and only one man had any recollection of seeing him and he had a hazy idea that he saw Ted at the German wire which would mean about 50 yards from Enemy trenches. If Pt[e]. Choy was one of the party of rifle greandiers under Ted he of course would very likely be right as no doubt in the turmoil of such a battle it is very hard to know who falls or who gets through until it is all over. However I will keep on hoping until I hear definite news. We are in the turmoil of another Referendum here and I am afraid No will win again, I hope not, I cannot understand who so many young fellows hold back.'

Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal
SourcesNAA: b2455, GLOVER Edwin Francis
Red Cross File No 1170812

Print format    


© The AIF Project 2024, UNSW Canberra. Not to be reproduced without permission.