Edwards, Bevil Bernard James

No.5350 – Private Bevil Bernard James Edwards – 28^th Battalion AIF

Bevil Bernard James Edwards was born in Cottesloe in 1897 to Horace and Rose Edwards. He was educated at Fremantle Boys School and after leaving school took up work on the Fremantle wharf as a Stevedore. During this time he also served in the 87A Citizens Militia in Cottesloe. His father Horace was the Governor of Fremantle Gaol.

 On the 1^st March 1916 aged just 18 Bevil went to the Fremantle Drill Hall to enlist in the AIF. With the signed permission from his parents Bevil was given a fitness test and was accepted for service. The medical examiner found him to be 5 feet 6 inches tall; weight of 112 lbs; chest measurement of 30-33 inches; fresh complexion; blue eyes and brown hair. His religious denomination was Presbyterian.

Bevil was initially allotted to No.50 Depot and then was transferred to No.55 Depot. On the 27^th March 1916 he was assigned to the 14^th Reinforcements to the 28^th Battalion. He trained with this group in WA until they embarked at Fremantle Harbour on the 7^th August 1916 aboard the H.M.A.T. “Miltiades”. After the long sea voyage they arrived at Plymouth England on the 25^th September 1916.

After disembarking Bevil and his group were marched into the 7^th Training Battalion at Rollestone Camp on the 26^th September. While In camp Bevil was granted a period of leave though unfortunately he overstayed his leave by three days so when he returned he was put in the guard room and as a punishment was given 7 days detention and had to forfeit ten days pay.

On the 16^th November 1916 Bevil left camp and proceeded to Folkestone where they took a ship to France. After arriving at Etaples; Bevil went into the 2^nd Australian Division Base Depot. He stayed here for just over two weeks and was then sent to join up with the 28^th Battalion; being taken on strength on the 4^th December 1916. Bevil was assigned to B Company where he became a Lewis Gunner.

The 28^th Battalion were then in the Flers sector undergoing the coldest French winter for decades. As a result of this cold weather many men reported sick and Bevil was no exception. On the 13^th December he was sent to the New Zealand Stationary Hospital at Camiers where he was diagnosed with Bronchitis and Influenza. On the 31^st December Bevil was transferred to 6^th General Hospital at Rouen and on the 9^th January he was sent to the No.2 Convalescent Depot. On the 19^th January 1917 Bevil was sent to Etaples where he was put into the 2^nd Australian Division Base Depot, though he only remained here for five days before leaving to rejoin the 28^th Battalion.

On the 2^nd March 1917 the 28^th Battalion were going to relieve another battalion in the front line and were in the vicinity of the sunken road at Warlencourt when a shell fell, Killing Bevil and wounding several other men. Bevil was buried by a few mates in a shell hole who later marked the spot with a cross.

Private G.C. Owen of King St East Fremantle was in the burying party and he wrote that;

“I was one of the burying party at Le Sars on 3^rd March 1917 and I assisted in burying the body of this man. He had been killed by a high explosive; the back of his head had been blown away. I took his disc and personal belongings from him and handed them over to Sgt. Major Jones of B Company, to which deceased belonged. We buried him in the sunken road about a hundred yards behind the line. It would be about 1000 yards along the road from Martinpuich. He was buried alone in a shell hole.” Another soldier stated that; “He was known among us as Curly Edwards.”

After the war Bevil was exhumed and reburied in Warlencourt British Cemetery in plot VI.H.28. His mother Rose was granted a pension of 25/- per fortnight after his death.

His younger brother, William John De Randulp Glanville Edwards, who had been born in Cottesloe in 1903, went on to serve in World War Two, regimental number WX3667 and served as a Bombardier with the 2/7^th Field Regiment. He was killed in action at El Alamein on the 26^th August 1942. He is buried in El Alamein War Cemetery.