Edward Frederick Victor Tymms was born in Melbourne in 1889. He was the son of Albert Edward (known as Edward) Tymms and Agnes Elizabeth Ohlenrott. Edward Snr was a pastry cook, confectioner and caterer and he shared premises at the top end of Bourke Street with his brother-in-law, James Ohlenrott, who was in the same business. In the early 1900s the families went their separate ways: the Tymms to Collingwood and the Ohlenrotts to Richmond. In 1908 Edward Jnr married Gladys Olivia Blight and they set up home in Fitzroy.
When Edward enlisted on 7 March 1916 he gave his wife's address as 197 Argyle Street, Fitzroy, his occupaton as packer, and stated that he had had 12 months' military experience with the Senior Cadets and was still serving. He was a lieutenant and adjutant with the Scouts. He was not quite 5ft 5ins and had a fresh complexion, brown eyes and dark brown hair.
He was initally appointed to 22nd Batallion Depot at Royal Park but was later discharged from A.I.F. on account of appointment to instructional staff. This required a new set of attestation papers, which was dated 16 February 1917. It showed his wife to have moved to 86 Sackville Street Collingwood and his own address as 125 Powlett Street, East Melbourne, the home, at the time, of his grandmother, Jean Ohlenrott, and aunt, Emily Ohlenrott. Later this was crossed out and replaced with C/o Miss Drake, Argyle Street, Moonee Ponds. A letter in his file makes it all clear.
I herewith make application to have my mother Mrs E.A. Tymms 168 Smith Street Collingwood notified in the event of anything happening to me while on active service. The reason of this request is on account of separation between my wife and myself. E. Tymms, Sgt.
His occupation had changed to staff sergeant major (soldier), and his military experience was updated to read, 5 months with the A.I.F., 12 months as Lieutenant with the 61st Senior Cadets and 8 months as staff sergeant major with the instructional staff. He had apparently grown over two inches and had changed his religion from Baptist to Church of England. He was given a new service number and appointed to 23rd Battalion, 20th Reinforcements. On 18 September 1917 he was made permanent sergeant.
He embarked on 21 November 1917 aboard the Nestor and disembarked at Suez on 15 December 1917. In January the journey continued via Abbassiah and Italy, arriving at Southampton on 23 January 1918. An 'A' was added to his number as a result of duplication. He was hospitalized for a month with VD from mid-March to mid-April. Then he went straidght to France. He had another period of 12 days in hospital due to VD. He was back with his unit on 10 July 1918 and five weeks later, on 17 August 1918, he was killed in action.
One witness stated that it had been 'his first time in the front area.' Another stated that, 'I saw Sgt. Tymms killed instantly by shell at Viller Bretonneux about 7.30 p.m. We were moving up to the front line, and were waiting in a bit of a gap.' Another said, 'I saw Sargt Tymms of D. Coy, 14th Platoon, killed by direct hit of 5.9 shell near Harbonnieres on August 17th 1918 about 4 p.m. We had just moved up in support line, and Fritz was shelling heavily at the time. Tymms was badly knocked about.' Yet another said, 'It was near Franvillers ... We were doing a daylight raid on some trenches.' A further stated that he 'was buried in a soldier's grave (in the field) in the vicinity of Herleville, Somme.' And another, 'he was buried behind Harbonnieres and Framerville.
His body was later exhumed and relocated to Heath Cemetery, Harbonnieres, France. It sounds as if his original bural had been in the "Framerville British Cemetery (or Quarry Cemetery) near the track leading to Herleville which contained the graves of 23 soldiers from the UK and three from Australia who fell in August 1918.' The bodies in this cemetery, and several others, were all moved to Heath Cemetery.
Edward left Vera Drake as his sole executrix and beneficiary in his will dated 2 October 1917. Gladys objectd, writing to Base Reocrds:
I desire to enter an objection to any monies being paid in connection with the Will of the Late Sgt. E.F.V. Tymms No 6765a to any other person as I the undersigned am his legal wife and allottee, and am in receipt of a Pension as his Widow. Hoping you will give my case considerraton.
It seems she made no legal claim on the estate. It would not have been worth it financialy. Edward left 60 pounds in pay due but nothing else other than a few peronal possessions returned from the field. Gladys got his medals.
City of Melbourne Rate Books, Albert Ward, 1917-1919