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Edward Charles Chandler
| Name on Board | EC Chandler |
| Name on Service Records |
Edward Charles Chandler |
| Enlistment Age | 26 |
| Occupation | Bottle Blower, Australian Glass Manufacturing Co Ltd |
| Place of Birth | Williamstown, Vic |
| Next of Kin | Dave and Emma Chandler |
| Address | 81 Princes St, Williamstown, Vic |
| Marital Status | S |
| Enlistment Date | 12/07/1915 |
| Service No. | 3072 |
| Enlistment Place | Melbourne, Vic |
| Embarkation Place | Melbourne |
| Embarkation Date | 29/09/1915 |
| Embarkation Ship | RMS Osterley |
| Unit on Embarkation | 5th Australian Infantry Battalion |
| Date of Death | 14/06/1918 |
| Unit on Death | 5th Australian Infantry Battalion |
| Rank on Death | Private |
| Cause of Death | KIA |
| Place of Wounding/ Death |
Hazebrouck, France |
| Cemetery or Memorial | La Kreule Military Cemetery, Hazebrouck, Nord Pas de Calais, France |
Additional Information
You can view a video story on the Chandler brothers on our Video Stories page
David and Emma Chandler had 6 girls and 5 boys. Frederick, the youngest, was too young but four of the Chandler brothers enlisted – only one returned home.
David and Emma’s eldest son, Edward Charles Chandler, enlisted in July 1915 and joined the fighting in France in March 1916.
He was first wounded in July 1916 and even though suffering from shell shock, was quickly returned to his unit in the August. He was hospitalised a number of times over the year.
In August 1917 he rejoined his unit only to be wounded in Belgium in October and suffered another wound at Boulogne in April 1918.
He eventually returned to his unit on 1 June 1918 – he was killed in action thirteen days later, on 14 June at Hazebrouck.
The next of kin badge sent to Emma consisted three bars to indicate that she’d lost three sons in the war. She was particularly upset when she lost hers in 1924 and applied for a duplicate, offering to pay ten shillings for a replacement.
The memories and sadness of their sons stayed with the Chandler family. A family member recalls that their house in Princes Street was named “SEDWAR” (the initials of their three lost sons, Stephen, Edward and David plus WAR), although, as the house no longer stands, we are unable to confirm it.
Additional References
Williamstown Chronicle: Saturday 6 July 1918, p2
Photos and personal recollections courtesy of Max Chandler, nephew, and Kathleen Wilson great niece
Additional Documents and Photographs
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