Edward Ernest Wilson

Edward Ernest Wilson

Personal Information
Date of Birth	18 Jun 1910
Place of Birth	Armadale, Western Australia
Death	25 Jan 1977. aged 66
Place of Death	Fremantle, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	31 years, 1 month
Occupation	Storekeeper
Religion	None
Address	Wyalkatchem, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Wife , Mrs Doris Clara Wilson
Military Information
Reg Number	WX16008
Date of Enlistment	10 Sep 1941
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	2/32nd Australian Infantry Battalion
Military Movement
1st Departure from Australia
Journey Dates	8 Sep 1941 ‒ 8 Oct 1941
Transport Details	HMT Queen Mary Fremantle to Port Tewfik
Return to Australia
Journey Dates	24 Jan 1943 ‒ 8 Feb 1943
Transport Details	HMT Queen Mary Port Tewfik to Fremantle
2nd Departure from Australia
Journey Dates	7 Aug 1943 ‒ 10 Aug 1943
Transport Details	USAT Charles P. Steinmetz Cairns to Milne Bay, PNG
Return to Australia
Journey Dates	31 Jan 1944 ‒ 7 Feb 1944
Transport Details	USAT Andrew D. White Finschhafen to Townsville
Post War Details
Fate	Returned to Australia (twice)

Pre War

Electoral Roll entry: 1936 at Gabalong via Toodyay, railway repairer; 1943 at Railway terrace, Wyalkatchem, shopkeeper. Edward was married with 2 children under the age of 16 at time of his enlistment.

War Service

Edward enlisted on 10 Sep 1941 and a week later he was sent to the Western Command Army Trades Training Depot until 25 Nov 1941 when he transferred to the 1st Training Battalion. On 2 Dec 1941 he was allocated to 2/16 Battalion Reinforcements, changed on 12 Aug 1942 to the 2/32 Battalion Reinforcements. Edward experienced periods of Annual Leave and Pre-embarkation Leave before embarking in Fremantle for the Middle East on HMT Queen Mary on 8 Sep 1941. Edward's records show him disembarking on 8 Oct 1941, but Across the Sea to War by Peter Plowman indicates that disembarkation of the Queen Mary took place on 22 Sep 1942.

Edward was sent to the 24th Infantry Training Battalion until he was transferred along with 115 others on 1 Jan 1943 to the 2/32nd Australian Infantry Battalion, then located at Khassa in Palestine. Along with his unit he embarked for Australia on 24 Jan 1943 aboard HMT Queen Mary which arrived back in Fremantle on 18 Feb 1943. On 4 Apr 1943 Edward entrained in Perth for Adelaide and on 1 May he was graded as a Trade Group II (Cook). Ths in turn led to him being transferred to the Australian Army Catering Corps on 22 Jul 1943, attached to the 2/32nd Battalion.

On 7 Aug 1943 Edward and 1203 other personnel embarked on the USAT Charles P. Steinmetz in Cairns for the journey to Milne Bay, arriving in the late afternoon of 10 Aug 1943. On 16 Oct 1943 Edward was evacuated to the 2/8th Australian Field Ambulance with a hernia. They passed him on to the 2/11th Australian General Hospital on 20 October, and then the 2/1st Australian General Hospital on the 22nd. Edward was discharged from hospital to the New Guinea Details Depot on 18 Jan 1944 where he remained until he rejoined the 2/32nd Battalion on 22 Jan 1944. On 31 Jan 1944 Edward embarked on the USAT Andrew D. White in Finschhafen for Townsville where he disembarked on 7 Feb 1944.

On 19 Feb 1944 Edward arrived back in WA and was granted 24 days leave. However, during his leave he spent 20 - 21 Mar 1944 admitted to the Wualkatchem District Hospital with ear trouble. On 25 Jul 1944 Edward was seen by the 2/1st Casualty Clearing Station which sent him on the next day to the 2/6th Australian General Hospital due to 'debility'. On 22 Sep 1944 he was transferred to the Western Command Recruit Reception & General Details Depot to prepare for discharge as three days earlier he had been assessed as unfit to continue. A Medical Board confirmed this finding on 11 Oct 1944 (anxiety state) and Edward was discharged on 12 Oct 1944

Post War

Electoral Roll entries: 1949 - 1972 at Railway terrace Wyalkatchem, shopkeeper; In Novewmber 1984 EAdward made application for a War Service Loan