SAPPER EDWARD HENRY MANN
7422 - 3rd Tunnelling Company
Born in 1880 at Wallaroo, South Australia, the son of Edward Tregurtha Mann (1844-), an immigrant copper miner from Newlyn in Penzance, Cornwall, UK, and Annie Green (1851-1927), born in Little Para, South Australia to British immigrants. Edward Henry Mann had three brothers and two sisters, and was the second-youngest child in his family.
Edward relocated from South Australia (date unknown) to the Kalgoorlie/Boulder goldfields in search of mining work during the gold rush in the late 19th century. It was at the age of 22 in Boulder, 1905 that he married Edith Alice Gilbert, (b. 1883 Kapunda, SA – d. 1972 East Coolgardie, WA) siring a family of three daughters and four sons.
Edward Mann completed an ‘Application to Enlist in the Australian Imperial Force’ on 18 January 1917. He signed the ‘Attestation Paper of Persons Enlisted for Service Abroad’, at Boulder, Western Australia (WA) on 19 January 1917. He underwent a medical examination at Boulder on 20 January and was found to be ‘fit for active service’.
He signed the Oath to ‘well and truly serve’ at Blackboy Hill, near Perth, on 30 January and on 16 February was transferred to the Tunnellers with the rank of Sapper.
Edward was 39 years and 5 months of age, stood 5ft 3ins tall and weighed 129 lbs. He had a fair complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. A Miner by trade, he named as his Next-of-Kin his wife Edith Alice Mann, c/o The Launceston Hotel, Boulder, WA, and allotted three-fifths of his pay for the support of his wife and children.
Sent to the Miners Training Camp at Seymour, Victoria on 21 March, he was officially appointed to the Tunnelling Companies at Seymour, Victoria on 21 May 1917.
Edward embarked at Melbourne on board HMAT A32 Themistocles on 4 August 1917 with the March 1917 Reinforcements.
The troopship HMAT A32 Themistocles with 167 Tunneller Reinforcements sailed from Melbourne, Victoria on August 4, 1917. The voyage across the Pacific was rough and stormy for several days causing sea sickness on board. As the ship reached the Tropics it became very hot. Colon, Panama was reached on August 31, 1917 and during an unavoidable eight-day delay very heavy rain and muggy conditions was endured. The transport docked at Halifax, Nova Scotia on September 18, 1917 and three days later left to experience good weather across the Atlantic arriving in Glasgow, Scotland on October 2, 1917 after a fifty-nine day voyage. The troops were entrained to Tidworth, England, marching in to Nos. 1 & 3 Details Camp, Parkhouse, on 3 October.
One of the Tunnellers, 7427 Spr William James McPeak, died of acute transverse myalitis on 14 August and was buried at sea. He was one of 4 soldiers to die on this voyage.
Edward proceeded overseas to France on 22 November and marched into the Australian General Base Depot (AGBD) at Rouelles on 23 November. On 25 November he marched out of the AGBD, marching in to the 1st Anzac Corps Depot, also at Rouelles, on 27 November. He was taken on strength of the 3rd Australian Tunnelling Company on 3 December
He reported sick on 1 February 1918, and was treated for general myalgia at the 2nd Canadian Field Ambulance before re-joining his unit on 5 February.
He again reported sick on 11 February and was admitted to the 2nd Command Field Ambulance with influenza. He was transferred to the 6th Casualty Clearing Station on 12 February and transferred to the 7th Canadian General Hospital on 17 February with bronchitis.
Edward embarked at Etaples on Hospital Ship Ville de Leige on 17 March and was admitted to the Edmonton Military Hospital on the same day suffering slight bronchitis. He was transferred to the 3rd Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford on 26 March and discharged to No.4 Command Depot on 5 April. He was then transferred to the Overseas Training Brigade on 1 July, and again proceeded overseas to France from Longbridge Deverill via Southampton on 18 July and marched in to the AGBD on 19 July, re-joining his unit on 24 July.
On 6 February 1919 Edward marched out of the 3rd Aust Tunnelling Company for demobilisation, and after a short time at the AGBD, he left France for England on 21 February and marched in to the RBAA. He marched out to the 2nd Training Brigade at Codford.
Edward left Devonport on 19 April 1919 on board the Sardinia, disembarking at Fremantle, WA, on 28 May 1919. He was discharged in the 5th Military District (WA) on 20 June 1919, entitled to wear the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
Edwards’ medical documents were forwarded to the Repatriation Commission, Perth in August 1930.
Edward Henry Mann died on 4 May 1935 at Fremantle, Western Australia.
The West Australian - 7 May 1935:
The Western Mail – Perth – Thursday 16 May 1935:
© Donna Baldey 2011
with the assistance of Peter Wilson-Jones, great grandson of Edward Mann.
Research Notes [provided by Peter Wilson-Jones]:
Edward Henry Mann b. 1880, Wallaroo SA - d. 1 May 1935, Fremantle, WA.
Wife: Edith Alice Gilbert b. 21 Sep 1883, Kapunda, SA - d. 17 Dec 1972, East Coolgardie, WA.
Daughter: Laurel Margaret Mann b. 1906, Boulder, WA.
Daughter: Letitia Ann Mann b.1907, Boulder, WA.
Daughter: Alma Cecilia Mann b. 4 Jul 1909, Boulder, WA - d. 2001 Boulder, WA.
Son: Edward George Gilbert Mann, b. 26 Aug 1911 Boulder, WA – d. 1962 age 50 at East Coolgardie, WA.
Son: Francis William Mann b. 6 Jul 1913, Boulder, WA.
Son: Benjamin Thomas Mann, b. 8 Jun 1915, Boulder, WA.
Son: Leslie Lewis Mann b. 1917, Boulder, WA.
Alma Cecilia Mann (1909 - 2001) Daughter of Edward Henry
m. William Frances Roy Boyd (1906-1971) [William is Army veteran Service number W87216 - active service WW2].
William Henry Boyd (1931 - 2011) Son of Alma Cecilia
m. Jones [William is RAN veteran of the Vietnam War, Indonesian Confrontation & Malayan Peninsula Emergency].