Edward Quinn had no real connection with East Melbourne, other than that his mother, Bridget, lived in St Joseph's Convent, 360 Albert St, East Melbourne, now the Mary McKillop Centre. At the time of his enlistment for the war, he was working as a labourer in Hamilton, Victoria. He was an older recruit, 39 and 9 months old, 5' 5", of stocky build. He was by religion, a Roman Catholic.
During training, he was placed with the 24th Battalion, 6th Reinforcements. training and embarked for the war on HMAT Ulysses A38 on 27 October, 1914. In Egypt, he was placed in the 7th Battalion from training camp. The 7th Battalion was among the first infantry Battalions raised by Colonek H.E. 'Pompey' Elliott for the A.I.F. during the Great War. They arrived in Egypt on 2 December 19 and on Apri 25, 1915, took part in the Anzac landing at Gallipoli as part of the sexond wave. Ten days later, they were moved to Cape Helles for the disastrous attack on the village of Krithia. then. in August, they fought in the battle of Lone Pine. Along with the other allied forces, the 7th Battalion retreated from Gallipoli in December to return to Egypt. On 24 Febrary, 1916, Edward Quinn was at Serapeum, working in Depot Reinforcements, before being returned to the 7th Battalion when they left for France and the Western Front. on 2
The first action in which the 7th Battalion was engaged was at Pozieres (23-27 January). After Pozieres, they moved to the Ypres Salient in Belgium, staying there in the bitter winter of Dec-Jan 1917. On 3 September, Edward Quinn was moved from the 7th Battalion and attached on duty with the D.R.D.V.S, as a horse clipper. This would have put him behind the lines and out of the day to day terror of the war.He had two periods of leave, the first from 8 -20 August 1917 and the second to England from 6-28 September, 1918. When the war ended on 11 November, 1918, he must have been on of the lucky few who emerged without wounds or significant illness.
On 25 January, 1919 he marched in from the field to return to Engalnd, disembarking at Weymouth. On 3 April, 1919, he was sent back to Australia in the troop ship City of Poona, leaving from Southampton and disembarking in Melbourne on 14 May, 1920. From here, he disappears from sight.
The only clue to his whereabouts is a letter, which arrived at Base Records in St Kilda Rd, marked 29 March 1937. It was aritten by Mt. A.G. Duffy, of 321 Glenferrie Rd., Hawthorn, seeking the whereabouts of Edward Quinn. His letter state ' ... last heard he was working in the Goods Shed, Spencer St. It will be much to his advantage if we can find his address.' Nothign follows.
NAA World War 1 Military Records