General News
31 January, 2026
Veterans Voices: Edgar William Chenoweth
He asked his mother for written permission to enlist underage. He will never be 20. Edgar William Chenoweth was born on 22nd July 1898 at Lorquon (Lowan) near Nhill. His parents were Thomas James Chenoweth and Alma Elizabeth Jacobs.
Edgar has 6 brothers, Oscar Albert, Herbert Thomas, Harold Roy, Gordon Hugh, Percival James, Sydney Melford and he has 7 sisters, Ada May, Ethyl Gussie, Laura Ruby, Daisy Pearl, Veenie Clarence, Ida Doris Clare, and Ada Madge.
Edgar William Chenoweth was educated at Lorquon Public School. Like many children from poor and working families of the time, Edgar did not attend school for long after his early adolescence to find work and contribute to the families’ financial balance.
He began working in 1912 at the age of 14 as an apprentice to a local blacksmith.
He initially began by taking on simple tasks suited to his age and physical skills.
Over the years gaining more and more experience and physical strength he took on increasingly important tasks.
With no shortage of work in his profession in the rural areas where the skills of a black smith were frequently required to carry out daily professional tasks. Edgar had no difficulty finding work to gradually learn the trade.
He was 16 years old and preparing to begin a third year of training when war broke out in summer of 1914.
He did not show himself directly concerned by events at the front and did not show any desire to get involved from the first moments of the conflict.
In any case he was too young of age to enlist, which was an obstacle which closed the doors of the armed forces to him.
So, Edgar decided to continue learning his trade and helping the family financially.
This would soon take on new importance.
Thomas, Edgar’s father who had been suffering from heart problems for several months, succumbed to a new heart attack on December 27th, 1914, at age 58.
The help of the children to support the large family was therefore even more important.
However, news from the front quickly turned bad but then showed signs of improvement in spring of 1915.
It was necessary to face this fact. The fighting would last much longer than a few months initially planned at the start of the conflict and victory would require numerous sacrifices and heavy losses.
At the beginning of the summer of 1915 Edgar turned to his mother and requested written authorization from the parents that minor candidates to military life had to present for enlistment.
He then travelled the 7.5 miles separating him from Jeparit and presented himself at the town’s recruiting office.
After having passed the administrative and medical selection despite his young age, he joined a training camp in the region where he received training in the use of small arms and rifles, as well as the vital gas mask and a first aid kit in case of injury or of an injured comrade, having to be treated.
He embarked on 5th October 1915 from Melbourne aboard RMS Moldavia as a Private in 21 Infantry Battalion.
The subsequent crossing of the oceans must have seemed like an epic tale for these young men who dreamed of adventure and who for the most part, had never had the opportunity to cross the boundaries of their country.
On board the Officers feared that the men accustomed to physical work and wide-open spaces would have difficulty coping with long weeks at sea without seeing dry land for sometimes, several consecutive days.
In order to occupy bodies and minds, they organized regular drills onboard, fun and sporting activities such as wrestling, boxing, and arm wrestling etc.
They imposed collective chores like preparing vegetables for cooking and cleaning the ships’ decks and individual chores like doing their laundry and maintaining their uniforms.
Unfortunately, many men were unable to take advantage of the vegetables they had prepared, and the 3 copious meals served onboard to allow them to gain strength because sea sickness hit hard the stomachs of these men who were not accustomed to prolonged stays at sea.
The boat docked in Egypt in early December 1915 a few days before the evacuation of the Gallipoli peninsula.
The men then joined the camps in the Nile region where they underwent training concerning life in the trenches and the behaviors to adopt there or on the contrary, to avoid in order to best preserve their security at the front as well as on the works and chores necessary to maintain the trenches and their defense systems in good condition despite bad weather and bombings.
They also followed physical training preparing them for the fatigue caused by long front marches, patrols in No Man’s land, heavy loads to move and long sleepless nights.
They also follow training on tactics to be applied in the offensive phase of the front when the objective is to capture enemy positions or to create and secure new advanced posts as well as tactics to be applied in the defense phase of the front when the objective is to stop the enemy position or to slow it down as much as possible.
Living conditions in these camps were harsh because the exercises took place under the blazing sun, in stifling heat, with a few shaded areas to offer protection and a little respite.
The sand in the ground also made running difficult and made digging holes and building hard shelters very difficult.
Edgar was transferred in the spring of 1916 to 7th infantry battalion when the re- organization of British units in the different sectors of the front was completed.
He embarked with his unit at the end of March 1916 for Marseilles- France which he reached with his unit on March 31, 1916.
The men were then transported by train to British rear bases in North of France to be assigned a new sector of the front.
They then joined another sector of the front near the Franco- Belgium border near Ploegsteert.
They alternated between passing through the front lines and remaining in the rear.
Although military activity in the sector was at that time relatively limited in this part of the front, it was not zero.
It would happen, at times, that a spark would ignite the powder and hostilities would suddenly break out.
This is how the Germans launched an artillery raid on the British positions on 27th June 1916.
A shell fell near the position Edgar occupied before he had time to take shelter or protect himself.
The blast of the explosion and the shrapnel left him not a chance and he was killed instantly before he experienced a major engagement. It was less than three months from his arrival in France
Edgar died on 27th June 1916 at Ploegsteert, Arrondissement de Mouscron, Hainaut, Belgium. His death was recorded by name in the War Diary of 7th Battalion; this is unusual for a lower rank.
Edgar William Chenoweth rests in Berke Cemetery Extension, Comines- Warneton, Arrondissement de Mouscron, Hainaut, Belgium. He lies in Plot Row A, Grave 17
He was awarded the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
His mother received a memorial plaque; memorial scroll and King’s message. She also received a package of her late son’s effects including 2 discs, letters, photos, belt, tobacco pouch, mirror, comb, nail scissors, 2 pencils in nickel cases, wallet containing tickets, stamps, and on half penny, 2 pocketbooks, 2 prayer books, 7 coins, key stud and coil wire.
Edgar William Chenoweth’s brother Oscar also served in WW1 as a private in the 50th Infantry Battalion.
An orchardist from Kangarilla, South Australia, prior to enlistment, he embarked with the 4th Reinforcements from Adelaide on 1 August 1916 aboard HMAT Ballarat for Devonport, England. Following training in England he proceeded to France in early December 1916.
He was hospitalized with illness and during this time was allocated the service number of 2153A.
He joined his battalion on the Western Front near Buire, France, on 2 March 1917.
Pte Chenoweth was killed in action during the attack on Noreuil on 2 April 1917 and he was buried in the Noreuil Australian Cemetery.
His grave and 81 others were destroyed by shellfire and his name is recorded on a special memorial. He was 39 years old.
His youngest brother, was killed in action 2nd April 1917.
He has no known grave, and he is commemorated in Noreuil Australian Cemetery (Special Memorial C18).