Contributed by Ron Inglis, October 2021:
In mid-October 1916, Anzac 1 Corps was brought back down into France to renew attacking in the dying days of the First Battle of the Somme. The attacks were made in the locality of the villages of Delville Wood, Flers and Gueudecourt. Eight Auburn Memorial lost their lives up to Christmas Day 1916 – six out of the eight being in the 2nd Australian Division.
Among the eight was Private Edwin John Byrne, 23. Byrne, a dairy hand, enlisted at Casula on 3 February 1916. He nominated his widowed mother, Mrs Margaret Byrne of 47 Gordon Road, Auburn, as his next-of-kin.
Byrne sailed on the Ceramic on 14 April 1916 arriving in the United Kingdom two months later. During his three months in 5 Training Battalion at Tidworth, Byrne had two weeks in hospital with influenza and also lost three-days’ pay for going AWL for two days. Byrne crossed to France and was taken on strength of the 18th Battalion on 23 September 1916. He was killed in action six weeks later on 8 November 1916.
Byrne has no known grave and his name is inscribed on the Australian National Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux. His widowed mother of received her son’s medals and was awarded a pension of ￡2 per fortnight.
Auburn Memorial men Byrne E J and Byrne M A were not related.
Edward Byrne is honoured on the following memorials in Australia:
- Auburn War Memorial
- Municipality of Auburn 1914-1919 Honour Roll
- Roll of Honour Australian War Memorial Canberra
His decorations:
- British War Medal
- 1914-20 Victory Medal
