How they died …… Each week we shall transcribe from the Australian War Memorial’s Red Cross Wounded and Missing files witness statements in regard to the death of a Hunter Valley First World War Digger. This week we feature the death of Pte Edgar Harold Sadler, Horseshoe Bend, 9th Machine Gun Company, Killed in Action 31 January 1917 and buried in Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery, Armentieres, France. The informant was Cpl WC Foote, 9th Machine Gun Company, of Woollahra, Sydney who stated: “I had just left the position which took this man team’s took in the front line, while I went back into the second. Then that night the Germans began to straff and a big shell from a long range gun came from behind for the trenches at that point went right round. The shell burst almost at the gun position, and blew half of Ted Sadler’s head off. I do not know where he is buried, but I should think somewhere about Armentieres.” And another report from Pte JJ Kielt, 9th Machine Gun Company, of South Kensington, Sydney who stated: “I was on the spot but it happened so quickly one can hardly say what happened exactly. The Germans came over, the S.O.S. went up, we mounted our gun quickly. Then our Artillery opened shells into our own gunpit. Ted Sadler was waiting for an order from the Cpl. when a shell from our guns went through his tin helmet, he dropped and died at once. He had his hand on the ammunition box just ready to pass it up. He was buried near Armentieres. He was a very nice chap and lived at Maitland, N.S.W.” ______________________________________________________ Private Sadler was one of more than twelve hundred Hunter Valley Diggers who paid the supreme sacrifice in The Great War of 1914-1918. In the Centenary of The Great War from 2014 to 2018 we have the opportunity to commemorate and remember each and all of these men and indeed the service of more than eleven thousand Hunter Valley men and women who enlisted and served, all as volunteers, in the AIF, RAN and Australian Army Nursing Service overseas. We at Hunter Valley Military History believe we are doing our bit to raise awareness to these men and women. Will you join us to spread the word? The Centenary of The Great War is our opportunity to do this ..... it has to be done properly and it has to be done right. Are you with us?
Posted on: Mon, 27 Jan 2014 01:11:38 +0000