Digger's forgotten grave

HARRY Jean Ede was born in Horsham in 1872, making him 46 when he died.

Harry was born to parents Henry William and Emma Ede, nee Ford.

By the time Harry enlisted for service in the Boer War on January 8, 1902 at Langwarrin, his mother, Emma, had remarried influential businessman and former Wimmera Shire councillor John Langlands of Horsham in 1889.

After Harry returned from South Africa, he married Emma Bertha Koenig, who was born around 1882.

Emma and Harry had a daughter, Martha, born in Carlton in 1910. Sadly, Harry lost his wife and child when they died that same year.

It is unclear what happened to Harry during the next four years until he enlisted in the Great War. Harry's enlistment papers do not give a current address for that time, but he did list a Mrs Fairbairn of Upper Pakenham as `friend' next of kin. It is possible, therefore, that Harry remained living in the Melbourne area after the death of his wife and child.

Harry's enlistment papers state that he was 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighing 10 stone 6 pounds, with a dark brown complexion, dark brown hair and brown eyes. His religious denomination was the Church of England.

The most intriguing part to Harry's enlistment papers is what was listed under `Distinguishing Marks'. A tattoo of a sailor on his right forearm. Perhaps a legacy of his time overseas during the Boer War.

Harry again set sail for overseas service, embarking in Melbourne on the HMAT Runic on February 19, 1915. He joined D Company of the 8th Battalion from the Reinforcements on the Gallipoli battleground on May 5, 1915, just 10 days after the landings of April 25.

This saw the beginning of an horrific six-month stint for Harry in the trenches of Anzac Cove. Sadly, for this soldier, it would mark the beginning of a sorrowful end for Harry Ede.

By the time he was evacuated off Gallipoli to the nearby island of Lemnos on November 12, Harry had fallen foul of his commanding officers no less than four times. The last being on October 7 and 8. The punishment for these offences would be severe. An extract of Harry's court martial reads:

Charge 1: When on active service failing to appear at the place of parade appointed by his Commanding Officer, in that he at Sarpi Camp Lemnos on the 7th of October 1915 failed to appear on any defaulters' parade from 2pm to 8.30pm.

Charge 2: When on active service, drunkenness in that he at Sarpi Rest Camp Lemnos on the 8th of October 1915 when he should have been on duty was drunk.

Harry pleaded guilty to both charges and was punished, being `awarded' 70 days forfeiture of pay. Just one month later, he was evacuated from Gallipoli suffering bronchitis. Harry was transferred to Egypt just before Christmas on board the hospital ship Delta, suffering debility and rheumatism.

During his time on the battlefield, Harry had been gassed and suffered shell shock, and in one instance suffered injuries to his legs when solid earth, presumably the wall of a trench, dislodged and landed on him.

He spent the next three months convalescing in Egypt, still suffering the terrible effects of his time in the Gallipoli trenches.

By March 3, 1916, Harry had boarded HT Argyllshire, bound for the shores of Australia.

Twelve months earlier, there is little doubt Harry had dreams of what would lie before him on the other side of the world. As he stood on the deck of the Runic, watching the shores of Australia disappear over the horizon, Harry was prepared to fight for King and Country. Like so many others who enlisted, he would have been looking forward to the new adventures he would experience and the far-away places he would see.

Now, both physically and mentally exhausted and in severe pain, he was on his way home a broken invalid, suffering the terrible effects of shell shock and alcoholism.

Harry's return to Australia was recommended as a three to six month break. But Harry would never return to fight another day as part of the AIF. Never again would he wear the khaki uniform and slouch hat of which he was so proud.

Harry was in and out of hospital once he reached Australia, until he was finally discharged from the AIF on September 15, 1916, medically unfit for service.

It is unclear when Harry moved to Mildura, but it was here that he married Isabella Margaret Allen, daughter of Mr and Mrs J.S. Allen of Mildura in December 1917.

Harry worked as a ledger keeper for the Irymple Packing Shed, while he and Margaret, as she was known, lived in an area known as `Williamstown' in Mildura.

Harry, who never recovered his health after returning from the trenches of Gallipoli, contracted influenza in October 1918. Like so many others during the epidemic at the time, Harry died suddenly at his home on Sunday October 13, 1918.

The Mildura Cultivator newspaper reported, "Mr Harry Ede of a well known Horsham family had never fully recovered from his strenuous experiences when on active service and latterly his health had been very precarious, culminating in his sudden death in a fainting fit on Sunday."

Harry's funeral two days later comprised of a `guard of honour and firing party composed of returned soldiers'. After the firing of three shots into the air, the sounds of the Last Post rung out across the cemetery.

The Cultivator said: "Beside the soldier comrades was a little knot of friends. The coffin was draped with the flag under which the dead soldier served. It is pleasing to note that no ex-soldier goes to his rest in Mildura district without a large escort of his late comrades. Quite a few turned up from West Merbein and Birdwoodton to give Harry Ede a last salute."

Tragedy would again hit Harry's young family when, just nine weeks later, Harry and Margaret's baby son, David Harry Allen Ede, also died. It was December 5, 1918, and David was just seven days old. He was buried with his soldier father on December 6.

It is yet unknown what happened to Margaret after tragically losing both her husband of just 10 months, and their baby son. It is in no doubt that she suffered a terrible grief.

In his passing, however, Harry was himself spared any further grief. Not only had he lost his first wife Emma and their infant daughter Martha in Carlton just eight years prior, Harry Ede had lived the slaughter that was the Gallipoli campaign for almost its entirety.

It is hoped that the readers of the Wimmera Mail-Times may help solve the mystery of what happened to the family of Private Harry Jean Ede, and indeed, whether there are any living relatives still in the area.