Born at Perth, CoE. Enlisted 17 July 1916 age 21, student. Nok (father deceased) mother, Ethel Roberts River Views, Esplanade, Cottesloe Beach. Embarked at Fremantle 29 December 1916 per A34 Persic. In France on 4 October 1917 when he suffered a serious hip wound. Returned to the field and seen to be wounded for a second time and declared missing. An Inquiry declared him killed in action 28 March 1918. Reported to be buried at Villers Bretonneux Military Cemetery, France, 3 kilometres north of Villers Bretonneux and 3 kilometres SW of Corbie. Plot 3 Row E 3. In April 1918 his mother received a letter from AIF headquarters dated 10 April 1918, that her son had been wounded for the second time, ‘In the absence of further reports it is to be assumed that satisfactory progress is being maintained. Edward was dead eleven days when that letter was written. A telegram sent on 28 April 1918 repeated this optimistic message. On 12 May 1918 Edward’s status was still unknown. On December 18, 1922 Mrs Roberts had still not received her son’s medals the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
