Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

Edward James Carr was born on 23 November 1882 at Fairlie, the son of Bernard and Mary (née Bodley) Carr. Mary’s first husband, Alfred Knight, died in 1876, and in 1879 Mary married Bernard. 1883 dawned a sad year for this little family, Mary dying on 6 January when Edward was just 6 weeks old. Mary was buried at Burkes Pass. There was also a daughter, Eliza Mary Jane, 2 years old. The family suffered further trauma in 1886 when little Mary Jane was assaulted by a stranger. She went on to do well at school. Edward and his sister attended the Fairlie School. In 1893 he was awarded a prize for Standard II. The picnic and prize distribution were held on 22 December, the children competing for liberal supplies of lollies, toys, etc, donated by the town’s tradespeople. His father Bernard lived at Fairlie and Albury, moving to Nazareth House in Christchurch sometime before 1911. He died in 1913 in Christchurch, aged 67 years, and was buried there. Mary Jane Carr married John Hadlee in 1907; they were the parents of the well-known cricketer, Walter Hadlee.

By 1909 Edward was in Victoria, Australia where he married Vivienne McTavish. From 1913, at least, Edward and Vivienne lived at Wynnum South, Queensland. On his application to enlist in the Australian Imperial Force, Edward James Carr gave his postal address as C/o Mrs J. McTavish, 39 Hardiman St, Kensington. His Will was attached to his personnel file and subsequently detached and handed to the Officer in Charge, Base Records. He enlisted on 31 May 1917 at Melbourne, Victoria. He swore “I will well and truly serve our Sovereign Lord the King in the Australian Imperial Force from 31.5.17 until the end of the War, and a further period of four months thereafter unless sooner lawfully discharged, dismissed, or removed therefrom; and that I will resist His Majesty’s enemies and cause His Majesty’s peace to be kept and maintained; and that I will in all matters appertaining to my service, faithfully discharge my duty according to law.” He was 34 years 6 months old, a foreman at the meat works, married, and of Church of England affiliation. He named his wife as next-of-kin – Vivene [sic] Carr, 39 Hardiman Street, Kensington, Victoria, and later of 36 Shuter Street, Moonee Ponds. He was 5 feet 9½ inches tall, weighed 159 pounds, and had a chest measurement of 35-37 inches. His complexion was medium, his eyes blue, and his hair light brown. He had good vision and hearing; was free of diseases and physical defects; his heart and lungs were healthy; and he had free use of his joints and limbs. Thus he was fit for Active Service. He had a mole on his abdomen.

Appointed to the Australian Army Service Corps Reinforcements, Private Edward James Carr, 1588, embarked on 28 February 1918 at Melbourne, disembarking at Liverpool seven weeks later. On 22 March 1918 he had been appointed Acting Lance Corporal. He marched in, in England from Australia, on 20 April and was attached to the Australian Army Service Corps Detachments. Private Carr marched out to Fovant on 30 May to the A.S.C. Detachment and, marching back in from Fovant on 8 June, he marched out two days later to Warminster A.S.C. Detachment. His last pay with the A.S.C. was on 6 February 1919, and he departed Warminster on 9 July 1919. On 22 August his next-of-kin was advised that he was returning to Australia. A/L/Cpl 15888 E. J. Carr, Australian Service Corps Battalion, returned to Australia from England on 22 July 1919 per the “Ulysses”, disembarking on 2 September 1919, and was discharged on 25 September 1919. The enlistment, embarkation and discharge dates for Edward James Carr were confirmed by Base Records for the Queensland Taxation Department in December 1921.

His British War Medal was despatched to Wynnum South, Queensland, on 24 July 1924, Edward signing the receipt for it on 25 August 1924. And on that same date, Mr E. J. Carr of Normanlea, Clara Street, Wynnum South, Brisbane, had written “And am I not entitled to a Victory medal, if not let me know.” The reply from Base Records stated that the Victory Medal was issued only to those who served on the strength of a unit in one of the proclaimed theatres of war on, or before, the 11th November 1918. He was, therefore, not eligible. He had earlier in August forwarded the Pay book receipt, and in July he had given the necessary details – Regtl No 15888, Rank A/L/Cpl, Unit A.S.C, Embarked 28th Feb 1918, Discharged 25 Sept 1919, provided his full name and address, and signed the form to have his medals posted.

Vivienne died 13 October 1927 in Brisbane, aged 42 years, and was buried in the South Brisbane Cemetery. On 23 November 1929 in Queensland, Edward married Jessie Constance Ferguson née Balcarras, of London. Jessie had been widowed by the death of her husband in France in 1918. Jessie had a daughter of her first marriage, and Edward and Jessie had a daughter Shirley Isobel Carr born in 1932. Post war, Edward and Vivienne lived at Wynnum South, Edward resuming his work as a meatworks foreman. He and Jessie were at “Roselea” in Wynnum Central in 1937. Edward died on 3 July 1937 at Wynnum, Brisbane, when his daughter was just five years old. He was 54 years old and was buried in Hemment Cemetery, Brisbane, after a service at the Church of Christ, Wynnum. His daughter was buried with him in 1951, and his wife Jessie, who died in 1971, was buried in Hemmant Cemetery also.

Three cousins of Edward James Carr lost their lives in World War I – Joseph Walker and Daniel Bodley were both killed in action in 1916 in France, and Andrew Henry Robinson died of wounds in 1918 in France. Additionally, three more cousins served – James Robert Bodley, Alfred Walker and William Moreland.

Sources

Attestation Paper for Australian Imperial Force (National Archives of Australia) [26 August 2015]; NZ BDM Indexes (Department of Internal Affairs) [26 August 2015]; School Admission records (South Canterbury Branch NZSG) [[2015]; NZ & Australian Electoral Rolls (ancestry.com.au) [2015]; Find A Grave memorials (ancestry.com.au) [26 August 2015]; Timaru Herald, 13 December 1886, 28 December 1892, 27 December 1893 (Papers Past) [26 August 2015]; Australian Marriage & Death indexes (ancestry.com.au) [07 May 2020]; Sunday Mail, Brisbane, 4 July 1937, The Telegraph, Brisbane, 5 July 1937, The Courier Mail, Brisbane (Trove) [07 May 2020]

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Related Documents

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Researched and Written by

Teresa Scott, SC Branch NZSG

Currently Assigned to

TS