Edward George Austin

First Name: 
Edward
Middle Name: 
George
Last Name: 
Austin
Mother's Name: 
Ellen Caroline (nee Smith)
Father's Name: 
Samuel Austin
Date Enlisted: 
Sunday, July 11, 1915
Rank at Enlistment: 
Private
Unit: 
30th Battalion
Company: 
C
Service: 
Infantry
Awards: 
1914/1915 Star
British War Medal
Victory Medal
Date of Death: 
Thursday, July 20, 1916
Place of Death: 
Fromelles, France
Details: 

Edward Austin was born in Queanbeyan in 1888. He came to Mount Kembla and, in 1912, married Teresa Walker. At the time he enlisted they had a son and he was working as a grocer's carter. He enlisted in the AIF on 11 July, 1915, and embarked with C company, 30th Battalion on the HMAT A72 Beltana, on 9 November 1915. He was one of the 5533 casualties at the battle of Fromelles who died on 19 & 20 July 1916. He was found, identified and buried. He lies in Rue-Petillon Military Cemetry, Fleurbaix, Bethune, Nord Pas de Calais, France. His grave was originally registered as Row C, Plot 2, Grave 79, but in 1925, due to layout & registration changes at Rue-Petillon, it was reregistered as Plot 1, Row K, Grave 51. The original communication of Edward's death to his wife, Teresa, stated Edward's service number as 592, raising the hope that Edward had not been killed; unfortunately, this was not the case.

Sources: 
NAA: B2455; AUSTIN E G 593; Edward George