Edward Thomas Cockburn

First Name: 
Edward
Middle Name: 
Thomas
Last Name: 
Cockburn
Mother's Name: 
Susan Cockburn nee Batterham
Father's Name: 
Edward Cockburn
Date Enlisted: 
Monday, May 15, 1916
Rank at Enlistment: 
Private
Rank at Discharge: 
Private
Unit: 
13th Battalion
Company: 
C
Service: 
Infantry
Awards: 
British War Medal
Victory Medal
Date of Death: 
Tuesday, August 29, 1950
Place of Death: 
Coalcliff, N.S.W.
Cause of Death: 
Accident
Details: 

Edward Thomas Cockburn (Service No 6494), was born in Goulburn, N.S.W., in 1886.  In 1910, Edward married Lillian Richardson, in Woonona, N.S.W.

At enlistment, in Kiama, N.S.W., he was 26 years old, worked as a miner and lived in Corrimal, N.S.W.

On 7th October 1916, Edward embarked on HMAT A40 Ceramic, with 13th Battalion, 21st Reinforcement, leaving Lillian and the first of their 4 children behind.  He arrived in England on 21st November 1916, and did not join 13th Battalion, C Company, until 7th May 1917. In doing so, Edward missed the devastating Battle of Bullecourt, of April 1917.

Edward saw service on the Western Front and was not wounded. Edward was admitted to hospital on 27th April 1918, with trench fever, which he never really recovered from. He was returned to Australia in February 1919, and discharged medically unfit on 18th May 1919.

On 29th August 1950, Edward was killed by a train, at Coalcliff Station, Coalcliff, N.S.W.  The evidence given suggested he was suffering from a long illness and had collapsed and fallen.

Sources: 
NAA: B2455, COCKBURN E T