Gunner Edward John Bottle

See Notes (1)

Edward John ⁽²⁾ Bottle was born at Bacchus Marsh, VIC, in 1876, to Edward Henry Bottle and Eleanor Unsworth. Edward had a brother, Henry, who is also remembered in the Avenue.

On the 10^th of March 1900 he embarked at Melbourne, aboard the SS Euryalus, for South Africa as part of the 3^rd Victorian Bushmen's Contingent, to take part in the Boer War. He returned to Australia in June 1901 - strangely he is not listed on the Bacchus Marsh Boer War Memorial. Edward married Eva Emily Wells in 1903 in Western Australia. They had one child, Perl Eva, born in Birchip, VIC in 1908. Some time after this they separated.

Edward was a boundary rider when he enlisted in the AIF at Liverpool, NSW, in November 1914, at the age of 38. He embarked at Sydney aboard the HMAT Ajana as part of the Army Veterinary Corps, 1^st Veterinary Section and disembarked in Egypt at the start of February 1915.

In early May 1915 Edward was charged with leaving camp while under open arrest, drunk and improperly dressed for which he was fined 10/- , confined to barracks for 14 days and given three extra picquets. Two weeks later he was again found to be drunk and AWL and received 168 hours detention. In late May 1915 he was at Gallipoli - detached to the 7^th Light Horse. In September, shortly after forfeiting four days pay for leaving his unit without permission, Edward received a gun shot wound to the left arm and was evacuated to Malta aboard the Hospital Ship Somali and then to Cairo, Egypt. Some time later he embarked for England.

In December 1916 he embarked for France to join the 4^th Divisional Ammunition Column. Edward developed bronchitis and returned to England in February 1917, then embarked for Australia in May, aboard the HMAT Miltiades - to recover from chronic bronchitis.

Edward returned to Sydney, NSW in July 1917 and was discharged from the AIF, medically unfit in September. Edward Bottle died at Tallangatta, VIC, in 1923, aged 47.

He is listed on the Bacchus Marsh & District Roll of Honour.

Notes

1. Initially in the Army Veterinary Corps, 1^st Veterinary Section then detached to the 7^th Light Horse then transferred to the 4^th Divisional Ammunition Column.
   AGBD - Australian General Base Depot
   AFA - Australian Field Artillery
2. His name is often given as Edward George Bottle on his service records.

Location of Tree Number N023

Tree Position (accuracy ±1 tree) -37.677738653577755, 144.4511566284759

Related Links

• Timeline
• Nominal Roll - Boer War
• 3^rd Bushmans Contingent
• Nominal Roll - WW1
• Embarkation Roll
• Service Records
• 7^th Light Horse
• Unit Diaries - 7^th Light Horse
• Unit Diaries - 4^th Australian Divisional Ammunition Column

Last updated by lee, Mon, 03 May 2021 15:55:53