Edward Joseph Connop (1895-1917)

1915

Wyndham City Libraries

text

eng

Edward Joseph Connop

2621

Mr and Mrs John Connop
Father and mother

Not known

Single

Calais Southern Cemetery,
Nord Pas de Calais, France

No.2621  Sergeant Edward Joseph Connop
Edward Joseph Connop was born in 1895 in Little River to John and Margaret Connop. He had four brothers:

• Charles
• Thomas (died after one year in 1900) another Thomas (born 1902)
• John Edmund (who also died in WW1, five days after Edward)

and two sisters:

• Mary Catherine (died 1893)
• Mary Margaret (born 1903)

They lived in Little River for the time of Edward's life. The nominal roll advised in 1919 that his parents were still living in Little River – John Edmond as a farmer and Margaret’s occupation was listed as home duties.

War Service
Edward enlisted into the army at Geelong, Victoria on 19 July 1915. His parents wrote to the Army to consent to his enlistment on 10 July 1915. He was aged 20 years and 1 month and was 5 feet and eight and a quarter inches. Edward weighed 10 stone, 7 pounds and had a chest measurement of thirty seven inches.  His complexion was listed as dark, with brown eyes and black hair.  All of this was recorded at the time of his enlistment.  

He started his army career in the 6th Reinforcements, 22nd Battalion.  He embarked at Melbourne per H.M.A.T. Ulysses on 27 October 1915 and moved to the 7th Battalion A.I.F. as a Private and then Corporal over the early part of 1916. He disembarked at Marseilles 31 March 1916.  

Edward was wounded in action (shell shock) on 18 August 1916 and re-joined his Battalion from hospital in France on 24 August 1916.  He was then promoted to Sergeant on the 27 October 1916 in the field.  On the 20 September 1917, Edward was wounded in action again and died on 11 October 1917 in the 35th Hospital, Calais from the wounds he received.

His death was reported in the local press:
"District news From our Correspondent Little River KILLED IN ACTION Saturday, 20th October, was a day of gloom in Little River, when it became known that three of their brave lads, Sergeant E. Connop, and Privates S.Parker and E. Gabrielson, had given their lives for King and country.  Sergeant Edward J. Connop was the third son of Mr. and Mrs. J Connop of Little River.  A little over two years ago he left Little River for England and went into training there, and then to France.  Promotion soon came to him.  He was in the midst of the heavy fighting at Pozieres, and was wounded slightly, but was soon back into the firing line.  He returned to England for a while on the 11th October he died of gunshot wounds in the 35th General Hospital at Calais. At the time of his death he was a Company Sergeant, and we feel sure that he would have risen higher, as he was a young man respected by all. Mr and Mrs. Connop and family have full sympathy of the people at Little River".
Werribee Shire Banner, 25 October 1917, p.2.

Medals and entitlements:
[received by his father]

• 1914-15 Star Medal - 22 October 1920
• British War Medal  - 9 December 1921
• Victory Medal - 10 February 1922
• Memorial Plaque - 29 September 1922
• Memorial Scroll - 14 October 1921

War Records
http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/NameSearch
http:// http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/470910/CONNOP,%20EDWARD%20JOSEPH
http://www.awm.gov.au/people/roll-search/roll_of_honour/
http://www.aif.adfa.edu.au:8080/index.html

Family Records
http://ancestry.com.au

Trove
Harvard/Australian citation
1917 'DISTRICT NEWS.', Werribee Shire Banner (Vic. : 1911 - 1952), 25 October, p. 2, viewed 2 June, 2014, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74827202

1914-15 Star

British War Medal

Victory Medal