EDWARDS, Norman John Henry

Norman Edwards was a bank clerk and just nineteen years old when he enlisted at Hobart, Tasmania, on 13 February, 1918. He had had previous experience, with four years in the cadets and had served 130 days in the 36 Fort. Coy. Aust. Engineers. His father, Henry Alfred Edwards, lived in East Melbourne, at 125A George St., but his previous address had been at a Coffee Palace in Victoria St., East Melbourne. His mother, Marion Edwards lived at Launceston, Tasmania. 

Norman Edwards was placed with the General Service Reinforcements for training at Claremont, then travelled by ship to Sydney, then on to Liverpool, U.K. on 1 May, 1918, on board HMAT 'Euripides' A 14. Unfortunately, he contracetd mumps on board ship and was admitted to the ship's hospital from 27 May to 15 June. They landed in Liverpool on 2 July and Norman Edwards was attached to the 40th Battalion. Again, however, he was ill and placed in Hurdcott Hospital on 23 July, this time with influenza. He was discharged on 28 July and sent in convalescence to the No. 3 Command Depot, before proceeding to France on 24 October, 1918, eighteen days before the armistice was called and the war came to an end on 11 November. Here he joined the 40th Battalion, whose work then was in Boulogne with the Red Cross. 

He remained in France until March the following year, when he was recalled to London, arriving on the 31st. Again, he was put to work with the Red Cross Society at AIF Headquarters in London, beginning on 16 April and remained until he was discharged, returning to Australia on H.T. 'Ajana' on 19 August, 1919 and disembarking on 9 October. Interestingly, on 14 October, he put in for a medical certificate, stating that he was suffering from 'wounds and sickness'. There is no evidence as to whether he was given it or not, or whether he got a pension. He did not receive the normal war medallions.

In 1922 and 1928, Norman John Henry Edwards is listed as a bank clerk, living at St. Mary's in the sub-division of Fingal, Wilmot Tasmania. From here he disappears off the electoral roll.