Corporal John H Edmondson VC Memorial Tablet

The memorial is dedicated to Corporal John Hurst Edmondson VC and is located on the western wall within St John's Anglican Church, Wagga Wagga. It is a white marble tablet mounted on a polished dark stone background with a small supporting shelf at the top. The emblem of the Australian Imperial Forces is inscribed in gold at the top of the tablet with a floral decoration at the base. The dedication is inscribed in black lettering. 

John Edmondson, only child of John and Maude Edmondson, was born in Wagga Wagga, and moved with his parents to Liverpool, NSW, aged 14. After service in the militia, he enlisted in the AIF on 20 May 1940 and embarked for the Middle East with 2/17th Battalion in October where he trained in Palestine. 

In April 1941 German infantry breached the defences at Tobruk, where Edmondson died on 14 April 1941, saving the life of his commanding officer. He was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for conspicuous bravery involving action against German troops at Tobruk. It was the first Victoria Cross to be awarded to an Australian in the Second World War (Daily Advertiser, 5 July 1941).  

The memorial unveiling was held in St John’s Church on 21 December 1941. A procession of over 200 people marched to the church prior to the service which was conducted by Flight Lieutenant K H Goodisson, RAAF Chaplain. Representatives of state and local government, the military, residents, and family joined with his parents for the occasion. The Venerable Archdeacon Stanley Johnson West dedicated the memorial which was unveiled by Mr W Currey VC, MLA (Daily Advertiser, 22 December 1941). 

In June 1945 Wagga Wagga Municipal Council decided to rename one of the town’s streets to Edmondson Street in his honour (Daily Advertiser, 23 June 1945).