Edward Thomas Cockburn

Submitted by Mt Kembla Minin... on Wed, 28/06/2017 - 12:10

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:

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