Pte
Edward Archibald Bunn
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 16/05/1887 |
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Place of birth: Mount Egerton, Australia |
General information
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Last known residence: 9 Buckingham Street, Footscray, Australia |
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Profession: Railwayman |
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Religion: Church of England |
Army information
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Country: Australia |
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Force: Australian Imperial Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 6972 |
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Enlistment date: 13/09/1916 |
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Enlistment place: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
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Units: — Australian Infantry, 5th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 20/09/1917 |
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Place of death: Glencorse Wood, Zonnebeke, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 30 |
Cemetery
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Tyne Cot Cemetery Plot: XXVII Row: A Grave: 16 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 2
| #1 | Enlistment place | ||
| #2 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Edward Archibald Bunn was born on 16 May 1887 in Mount Egerton. He was the son of William Arthur Bunn and Isabella McOonland Bunn and married Mina Bunn. In 1916, he volunteered for service and joined the 5th Australian Infantry Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 1st Division as a reinforcement. Edward was killed on 20 September 1917, during the battle known as the Battle of Menin Road. It was part of the larger Battle of Passchendaele. 2nd Brigade managed to take the German positions. Edward's battalion did lose 67 soldiers, 12 others went missing.
The final objective of 2nd Australian Brigade on 20 September 1917, was the capture of the western part of Polygon Wood. The attack was divided into the capture of a red, blue and green line. The role of the 5th Australian Battalion was to capture the area up to and including the blue line, which was roughly at the level of Black Watch Corner. The supporting artillery opened fire exactly at the appointed time and the Australians managed to take the German bunkers. According to the War Diaries, a number of soldiers moved up too quickly and were hit by their own artillery. Casualties also occurred on the left flank, where the German machine guns had not been deactivated. After eliminating the last pockets of resistance, the battalion was able to consolidate its positions around the blue line. German POWs helped carry off the wounded.
The War Diaries of the battalion describe the attack as a great success. The casualty figures paint a different picture. About a hundred soldiers fell victim to friendly gunfire and German machine guns also inflicted casualties. One of the casualties was Edward, killed at the age of 30. His body was recovered on the edge of Glencorse Wood. The exact cause of death remains unknown. Some witnesses reported that he was acting as a scout and fell victim to German machine-gun fire. Others argue that he was hit by friendly shellfire as he returned wounded to a dressing station behind the lines. Either way, at present Edward Archibald Bunn rests in Tyne Cot Cemetery.
The final objective of 2nd Australian Brigade on 20 September 1917, was the capture of the western part of Polygon Wood. The attack was divided into the capture of a red, blue and green line. The role of the 5th Australian Battalion was to capture the area up to and including the blue line, which was roughly at the level of Black Watch Corner. The supporting artillery opened fire exactly at the appointed time and the Australians managed to take the German bunkers. According to the War Diaries, a number of soldiers moved up too quickly and were hit by their own artillery. Casualties also occurred on the left flank, where the German machine guns had not been deactivated. After eliminating the last pockets of resistance, the battalion was able to consolidate its positions around the blue line. German POWs helped carry off the wounded.
The War Diaries of the battalion describe the attack as a great success. The casualty figures paint a different picture. About a hundred soldiers fell victim to friendly gunfire and German machine guns also inflicted casualties. One of the casualties was Edward, killed at the age of 30. His body was recovered on the edge of Glencorse Wood. The exact cause of death remains unknown. Some witnesses reported that he was acting as a scout and fell victim to German machine-gun fire. Others argue that he was hit by friendly shellfire as he returned wounded to a dressing station behind the lines. Either way, at present Edward Archibald Bunn rests in Tyne Cot Cemetery.
Sources 5
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5th Battalion Australian Infantry, (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM4 23/22/31). https://www.awm.gov.au Sources used |
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Australian Red Cross Wounded and Missing Enquiry Bureau (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), R1484930). https://www.awm.gov.au Sources used |
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First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920, (National Archives of Australia, Canberra (NAA), B2455, Bunn Edward Archibald). https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used |
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https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1778/records/338381?tid=&pid=&queryId=681e8a6b-d6b5-4f02-b904-97b7d0d037f1&_phsrc=UFV997&_phstart=successSource https://www.ancestry.com Sources used |
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McCarthy, Chris. Passchendaele: The Day by Day Account (Londen: Arms & Armour Press, 2018), 81. Sources used |
More information 4
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CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/462126 |
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The AIF Project (UNSW Canberra) https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=38764 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=56cf5888-a4a4-4126-9d1e-d3aea8cb8594 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/7374997 |