Major Edgar Thomas Towner

image: P02939.035 image: P02939.035
Photograph P02939.035
Service number 1067, Q30753
Ranks Held Lieutenant, Private, Second Lieutenant, Major
Birth Date 1890-04-19
Birth Place Australia: Queensland, Blackall
Death Date 1972-08-27
Death Place Australia: Queensland, Longreach
Final Rank Major
Service Australian Imperial Force
Units
  • 2nd Australian Machine Gun Battalion
  • 2nd Australian Machine Gun Battalion
  • 7th Australian Machine Gun Company
Places
Conflicts/Operations
  • First World War, 1914-1918
  • Second World War, 1939-1945
Gazettes Biographical information They dared mightily. in 1963
Published in London Gazette in 1917-06-01
Published in London Gazette in 1918-12-14
Published in London Gazette in 1918-09-24
Published in London Gazette in 1918-05-28
Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1918-10-24
Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1919-02-12
Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1919-05-23
Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1917-10-04
Description

Edgar Towner (1890-1972) enlisted in 1915 and soon established himself as an outstanding soldier. Fighting in France, he was commissioned, won the Military Cross and was twice Mentioned in Despatches before receiving the Victoria Cross for the attack on Mont St Quentin. In the battle, constantly under fire, he undertook dangerous reconnaissance and bravely led his machine-gunners. At one point he personally captured a machine-gun and turned it on the enemy. After 30 hours' fighting he was evacuated, wounded and exhausted.

After the war Towner returned to rural Queensland, but served again in the Second World War. A pastoralist at home in the bush, he was a life-long bachelor.

Collection items

    Media


    VICTORIA CROSS WINNERS FROM THE BOER WAR AND WORLD WAR 1 WHO GATHERED TO MARCH IN THE SYDNEY ...

    FULL-LENGTH STUDIO PORTRAIT OF LIEUTENANT EDGAR THOMAS TOWNER VC MC.

    Portrait of Lieutenant Edgar Thomas Towner VC MC. He was awarded the VC following his actions at ...

    1927-04-25. AUSTRALIAN VICTORIA CROSS (VC) WINNERS WHO TOOK PART IN THE ANZAC DAY MARCH IN ...

    MELBOURNE, AUS. 1927-04-25. AUSTRALIAN VICTORIA CROSS (VC) WINNERS WHO TOOK PART IN THE 1927 ...

    Portrait of Lieutenant (Lt) Edgar Thomas Towner, VC, MC, 2nd Machine Gun Battalion. Lt Towner was ...

Rolls

  • Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

    Unit
    2nd Australian Machine Gun Battalion
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Lieutenant

  • Honours and Awards:

    Unit
    7th Australian Machine Gun Company
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Lieutenant
    London Gazette
    24 September 1918 on page 11320 at position 4
    Commonwealth Gazette
    12 February 1919 on page 264 at position 11

  • Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

    Unit
    7th Australian Machine Gun Company
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Second Lieutenant

  • Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

    Unit
    2nd Australian Machine Gun Battalion
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Lieutenant

  • Honours and Awards:

    Unit
    7th Australian Machine Gun Company
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Lieutenant
    London Gazette
    01 June 1917 on page 5423 at position 57
    Commonwealth Gazette
    04 October 1917 on page 2625 at position 10

  • Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

    Unit
    2nd Australian Machine Gun Battalion
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Lieutenant

  • Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

    Unit
    2nd Australian Machine Gun Battalion
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Lieutenant

  • Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

    Unit
    2nd Australian Machine Gun Battalion
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Lieutenant

  • Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

    Unit
    7th Australian Machine Gun Company
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Lieutenant

  • Honours and Awards:

    Unit
    2nd Australian Machine Gun Battalion
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Lieutenant
    London Gazette
    14 December 1918 on page 14775 at position 1
    Commonwealth Gazette
    23 May 1919 on page 885 at position 2

  • Honours and Awards:

    Unit
    2nd Australian Machine Gun Battalion
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Lieutenant
    London Gazette
    28 May 1918 on page 6203 at position 30
    Commonwealth Gazette
    24 October 1918 on page 2056 at position 294

  • First World War Embarkation Roll:

    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Private

Timeline

Date of birth 19 April 1890
Date of embarkation 29 June 1915
Date of recommendation honour or award 03 March 1917
Date of recommendation honour or award 04 March 1918
Date of recommendation honour or award 19 June 1918
Date of recommendation honour or award 22 June 1918
Awarded Victoria Cross 01 September 1918 For action at Mont St Quentin, France whilst serving with 2 Machine Gun Battalion, 2 Division as a Lieutenant
Date of recommendation honour or award 09 September 1918
Date of recommendation honour or award 09 September 1918
Date of recommendation honour or award 09 September 1918
Date of death 27 August 1972

Share this page

Related information

Conflicts

Units

Places

Subjects

Objects

Related Objects