Actions

Edward Walter Tatam

From Our Contribution

Edward Walter Tatam
Unknown.png
Personal Information
Date of Birth not known 1892
Place of Birth Bendigo, Victoria
Death 30 Oct 1973, aged 81
Place of Death South Perth, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment 23 Years, 11 months
Description 6'0½" (1.m) tall ; 152 lbs
68.946 kg
; dark complexion ; grey eyes ; black hair
Occupation Mill hand
Religion Church of England
Address NOK 380 Bulwer street, West Perth, Western Australia
Next of Kin Mother , Mrs Anne Tatam
Military Information
Reg Number 4559
Date of Enlistment 1 Mar 1916
Rank Private
Unit/Formation 28th Battalion, 11th Reinforcement / 7th Brigade, 2nd Division
Date of Embarkation 31 Mar 1916 ‒ 24 Apr 1916
Ship Embarked On HMAT A9 Shropshire
Date of Return 11 Jan 1919 ‒ 16 Feb 1919
Ship Returned On SS Osterley
Fate Returned to Australia
Monument Jarrahdale Honour Roll
Medals British War Medal




Pre War

Electoral roll entries 1916 - 1917 Nanga Brook, labourer. At the time he enlisted, Edward was living in Jardadup near Pemberton, so we might presume that he would have previously worked in the Jarrahdale area and was known there.

War Service

A fortnight after entering Blackboy Hill camp, Edward was allocated to the 11th reinforcement draft for the 28th Battalion, travelling with them to Egypt.

In Alexandria on 2 Jun 1916 he boarded HMT Minnetonka for Plymouth, disembarking on 12 Jun 1916. From there he was sent to Perham Downs before being transferred to the Warchest Club, Anzac Hotel in London on 9 Aug 1916. Transferred on paper back to the 28th Battalion on 24 Apr 1918, he was sent to No 1 Command Depot.

At the Command Depot he was assessed as unfit to perform further service, but fit to travel back to Australia on a non hospital ship, and was granted leave until embarkation. Returned to Australia earlier than might normally happen in order to accompany his wife Hilda Marie (nee Barnard) who had a booked passage on the SS Osterley from Liverpool. They had married on 8 Oct 1918 in Islington, England.

Back in Australia he was admitted to the 8th Australian General Hospital in Fremantle on 17 Feb 1919 for a week for monitoring of his hernia.

Post War

Electoral Roll entries - 1925 at 28 Waugh street Balkatta, cooper; 1931 - 1972 at 2 Westbury road, South Perth.

On 13 Apr 1960 Tatam, flew from Singapore to Perth via Djakarta on Qantas flight number EM 548/023

Hilda Marie died 15 Oct 1976, aged 82 in Subiaco.

Notes

Was not awarded the Victory Medal as he did not enter a theatre of war before 11 Nov 1918.
RSL Memorial has listed Edward as Taram, rather than Tatam


External Links