Edward Briggs

Personal Information
Date of Birth	Not known
Place of Birth	Rutherglen, Victoria
Death	13 Jan 1930
Place of Death	Wooroloo (TB Sanatorium), Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	21 years, 9 months
Description	5' 6" (1.68m) tall; weight 147 lbs (66.7 kg); dark complexion, hazel eyes, blonde hair
Occupation	Grocer
Religion	Church of England
Address	NOK Mornington Mills, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father Mr Robert Briggs
Military Information
Reg Number	231
Date of Enlistment	3 Mar 1915
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	28th Battalion, B Company / 7th Brigade, 4th Division
Date of Embarkation	9 Jun 1915 - 30 Jun 1915
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A11 Ascanius
Date of Return	28 Feb 1919 - 7 Apr 1919
Ship Returned On	HMAT A68 Anchises
Fate	Returned to Australia
Monument	Not on Armadale War Memorial (Bedfordale panel) Bedfordale Roll of Honour
Medals	1914-15 Star British War Medal Victory Medal

War Service

Initially allocated to D Company of the 24th Battalion, he was very soon after transferred to B Company of the 28th Battalion. Served at Gallipoli, Egypt and on the Western Front. Travelled to Gallipoli from Alexandria on HMT Ivernia, having boarded the ship on 4 Sep 1915, and returned to Alexandria from Mudross on 16 Jan 1916 aboard HMT Ausonia.

Was AWOL for two days in Feb 1916 at Ismailia (Ferry Post), Egypt.

Arrived in France on 21 Mar 1916 having left Alexandria on 16 Mar. Soon after arriving in France he took the opportunity to go AWOL for 4 days (Aug 1916). Hospitalised on 4 Nov 1916 (6th General Hospital in Rouen) with trench foot, his NOK was advised on 14 Dec 1916 that he was sick, not wounded as had been earlier reported.

He rejoined his unit on 18 May 1917, but not before spending time in 18th General Hospital in Étaples with the mumps. His records aren't updated until 12 Oct 1917 when an entry shows that he was initially reported wounded and missing, followed by Killed in Action, and finally sick to hospital.

In late Sep 1917 he was given leave in England and was away from the battalion until 29 Oct 1917 as he extended his leave without permission (AWOL) by a period of 20 days. Hospitalised again for 2 weeks in Mar 1918, he rejoined the 28th Battalion on 23 Mar 1918, and remained with them until he was again granted English leave in late Oct 1918. He rejoined the battalion in France for 2 months before again heading to England to prepare for his return to Australia.

(At the time of the Armistice the battalion was resting and rebuilding in the small village of Berteaucourt, north-west of Amiens. Soon after the Armistice the 28th Battalion and the rest of the Australian 7th Brigade is initially earmarked as part of the British 4th Army to relocate to Coblenz as part of the Army of Occupation. They began their move on 23 Nov 1918, travelling through Amiens and Peronne by train, and then marched via stops at Busigny, Ribeauville, Grand Fayt, Beaufort, and Cousolre into Belgium. At this point it was decided that the Australian troops would not proceed into Germany, but wait in Belgium for their return to Australia, with the 28th Battalion basing itself in Marcinelle, some 2 miles from the large industrial city of Charleroi.)

His return from Devonport on HMAT A68 Anchises, disembarking in Albany (7 Apr 1919) was reported in the Kalgoorlie Miner on the 1st and 8th of April 1919.

Discharged 10 Jun 1919 at 5th Military District.

Post War

On the Electoral Roll in 1925 as a grocer at Mornington.

Deaths BRIGGS, Edward, at Wooroloo (TB Sanatorium), on January 13, aged 36.

External Links

• AIF Project
• RSL Memorial