Edward Harvey Statham
Edward Harvey Statham was born in Rio de Janeiro to John and Alice Statham in 1880. Alice had been married once before and had a large family already, but Edward was the first son born to this relationship. He grew up in Bowdon in Cheshire, England, and attended Bedford Modern Grammar School. After leaving he undertook training as a banker, then in 1902, at the age of 24, he made the decision to immigrate to Western Australia.
Though Edward was a farmer, the drought prevented him from finding work, and so he gained employment as a contractor until the outbreak of the First World War. On 26 August 1914, at the age of 34, he volunteered for the Australian Imperial Force, listing his father as his next of kin. He joined the newly formed 11th Battalion and was assigned to A Company. His low service number of 104 puts him among the state’s earliest recruits.
Edward’s battalion embarked on the transport ship Ascanius as part of the first AIF convoy. Despite a collision with the Shropshire the troops arrived in Alexandria and trained in Egypt and on Lemnos before heading to Gallipoli. Edward’s battalion was involved in the initial beach landings on 25 April 1915, and throughout the day there was much confusion and many killed and wounded. In the days that followed, as roll calls were put together, it was announced that Edward was one of many men reported missing in action.
Often the Red Cross Wounded and Missing files kept by the AIF contain conflicting and confusing statements made by soldiers – with all the mayhem of those early days it is understandable that the clarity and accuracy of the soldiers’ memories would vary. Private Johnston of A Company said he had landed with Edward on 25 April, but only noticed he was missing when they lined up on the beach on their fifth day on the peninsula. He had not seen or heard from Edward after the landings, nor had anyone else he knew. A soldier from D Company who knew Edward well claimed to have seen him going towards the advanced position above Shrapnel Gully. The men had pulled back as no reinforcements had arrived, and they could not collect the wounded, so many were left in that advanced position. This soldier pointed out that there was a general rumour among the battalion that Edward had been killed.
Private Scott of A Company did not agree with this rumour. He noted that he had seen Edward in the first advance following the landing, but that he was “rather far on the left”. He was sure it was Edward as he was one of the very few men carrying a pack. Scott hadn’t seen Edward since, but believed him to have been taken prisoner rather than killed. His reasoning for this was that the bodies of all the other soldiers were eventually recovered and their discs and pay-books taken from them, whereas Edward was not found.
In April 1916, nearly a year after Edward was listed as missing, a court of inquiry was held in Flêtre, France, to investigate his disappearance. After considering the evidence the inquiry judged that Edward had been killed in action on 25 April 1915. His service record was updated to reflect this, and a condolence letter was sent to his next of kin: now his mother, following the death of his father.
Edward’s three medals: the 1914/1915 Star, the British War Medal, and the Victory Medal are now part of the Australian War Memorial’s collection. Edward is listed on the Lone Pine Memorial in Turkey. There are listed the names of the 3,268 Australians and 456 New Zealanders with no known graves, as well as those of the 960 Australians and 252 New Zealanders buried at sea. Edward is also remembered on the Roll of Honour at the Australian War Memorial.
Activities for research and classroom discussion
1. Why was there so much confusion during the landing on Gallipoli on 25 April 1915? Draw on the photographs and painting below to support your answer.
2. Private Scott was sure he had seen Edward advancing after the landing. He was certain because Edward was one of the few men wearing his pack. What was in a soldier’s pack? Why would so many have left them behind?
This link may be helpful: AWM Encyclopedia: soldiers' kit
3. How do you think Alice felt when she found out her son was killed on Gallipoli? Remember that she had initially been told he was missing and probably hoped he was a prisoner.
4. What might his medals have meant to her?