Lawson, Edmund Victor
1488 Private Edmund 'Snowy' Victor Lawson - 12th Battalion AIF
Edmund Victor Lawson was born in Fremantle in 1897 to Edward and Jane Lawson. He was one of five siblings with Edward (1887), Isabella (1890), Johanna (1893) and Frederick (1895).
Sadly, in 1898 his father Edward died but he continued to live with his mother and siblings at 44 Hulbert Street South Fremantle (now called 18 Hulbert St). Jane Lawson was a nurse and worked hard to support her young family.
Edmund was schooled locally and during that time also served in the 86A Cadets of the Citizen Military Forces. After leaving school he took up work as a horse driver.
(Pictured - Edmund and Fred Lawson with their mother Jane prior to the Great War)
On the 14th January 1915 the 18 year old Edmund enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was found to be fit for service with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 9 & 3/4 inches tall;
Weight - 151lbs;
Chest Measurement - 35-38 inches;
Complexion - Sallow;
Eyes - Blue;
Hair - Fair.
After his successful enlistment Edmund was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to the 3rd Reinforcements to the 12th Battalion. He did not have long with this group in WA as on the 22nd February 1915, Edmund and his group entrained for Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship HMAT Itonus. The ship then set sail for Egypt, arriving at Alexandria three weeks later.
The 12th Battalion had trained in Egypt until March 1915 when they were directed to head for Alexandria. After arriving in the port they boarded ships that took them to Lemnos Island off the coast of Turkey. For the next few weeks they lived on board the transport ships and each day went on shore for training purposes to prepare for their role in the forthcoming landing on the Turkish Coast. It is unclear when Edmund joined them but he was taken on strength of the 12th Battalion.
In April they were joined by other Australian units as well as British, Indian, New Zealand and French troops. The 12th Battalion as part of the 3rd Australian Brigade was to make the initial landing on April 25th 1915. While the 9th, 10th and 11th Battalion were allocated sectors of landing, the 12th Battalion would be split up to support the other battalions. Edmund landed on the 25th April 1915
Edmund survived the initial landing unscathed and then ascended into the scrubby foothills above Anzac Cove. He was shot through the leg and chest on the first day at Gallipoli. Rudimentary medical aid was given to him on the beach and then he was taken out to one of the transport ship and sent back to Egypt.
Edmund received medical assistance on the ship but it wasn't until he was admitted to No.17 Hospital in Alexandria that his wounds were given full attention. It turned out as well as his wounds he also had a compound fracture of the tibia.
After a month in hospital in Egypt, Edmund was transferred to England where he was admitted to No.2 Western General Hospital in Manchester. Edmund had the next four months in England on recovery. Due to his wounds it was recommended by medical authorities that Edmund be returned home to Australia.
On the 7th November 1915 Edmund boarded that transport ship Runic and set sail for home, reaching Fremantle on the 21st December 1915.
After being disembarked Edmund was sent to No.8 Australian General Hospital in South Terrace Fremantle for further medical treatment. He was also fortunate that his mother was a nurse so his recovery went well.
Edmund was discharged from the AIF on the 4th February 1917.
Edmund's brother Fred enlisted in the war but sadly died on the 8th August 1918.
After the war Edmund returned to live at 44 Hulbert Street (18) South Fremantle. He returned to his pre war career of Horse Driver. He was employed by the local Fremantle bottle maker Letchfords.
In 1926 Edmund married Anna Adeline 'Topsy' Frazer.
Sadly Edmund died in an accident on the 27th December 1927. There was an inquest which was reported in the West Australian on the 7th January 1928.