The AIF Project

Edward Haynes CARY

Regimental number51
Date of birth16 November 1892
Place of birthAullville, Lafayette Co, Missouri, USA
ReligionMethodist
OccupationStation hand
AddressRoscoe, Missouri, USA
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation23
Height5' 4.75"
Weight126 lbs
Next of kinFather, Harold Cary, Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
Previous military serviceNil
Enlistment date20 January 1915
Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll19 January 1915
Place of enlistmentCharleville, Queensland
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name25th Battalion, A Company
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/42/1
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Brisbane, Queensland, on board HMAT A60 Aeneas on 29 June 1915
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll25th Battalion
Other details from Roll of Honour CircularLetter, father to Base Records, 17 May 1920: 'Was he drafted or did he volunteer?'
FateKilled in Action 5 August 1916
Age at death from cemetery records24
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
104
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: Harwood and Jennie CARY
Other details

War service: Egypt, Gallipoli, Western Front

Proceeded to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, Gallipoli, 4 August 1915.

Disembarked Alexandria from Mudros, 9 January 1916 (general Gallipoli evacuation.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 14 March 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 19 March 1916.

Admitted to Lahore Hospital, Marseilles, from HT 'Arcadian', 23 March 1916 (mumps); transferred to No 2 General Hospital, Havre (date not recorded); discharged to Base Depot, Etaples, 15 April 1916; rejoined 25th Bn, 23 April 1916.

Admitted to 7th Field Ambulance, 24 July 1916; transferred to 4th Casualty Clearing Station, 29 July 1916, and discharged to duty same day.

Reported missing, 5 August 1916.

Court of Enquiry, 25 July 1917, declared fate to be 'Killed in action, 5 August 1916'.

Note, Red Cross File No 0700911I: 'No trace Germany. Cert. by Capt. Mills. 10.10.19.'

Statement, 217 Pte J. ROBINSON, A Company, 25th Bn (patient, Mount Dore Hospital, Bournemouth, England),28 February 1917: 'I was not with the Regiment on August 5th but when I rejoined I made enquiries about Cary, who was a mate of mine. I found that it was general knowledge in the Regt. that he was killed.' Statement addendum: Description: Slightly built, dark complexion, very active, came from Canada.'

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Miscellaneous detailsFather's name and address subsequently recorded as Harwood CARY, Covington, Tipton, Tennessee, USA.
SourcesNAA: B2455, CARY Edward Haynes
Red Cross File No 0700911I

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