Name
Edward Seal
1896
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
03/05/1917
21
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
691
Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
28th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Searched but not found
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BAILLEUL ROAD EAST CEMETERY, ST. LAURENT-BLANGY
II. B. 30.
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Broxbourne memorials,
Not on the Shenley memorials,
Australian War Memorial, Canberra, Australia
Pre War
Edward Seal was born in 1896 in Shenley, Hertfordshire, the son of Benjamin and Martha Seal and one of six children, although two died in infancy.
On the 1901 Census the family were living in a cottage near Sheering Hall, Essex where his father was working as a coachman (domestic). By 1911 Edward and his parents had moved to Legertons Cottages, Ware, Herts, at which time Edward was working as a groom domestic.
He emigrated to Australia on 14 September 1914 on the Federal & Shires Ship 'Essex', sailing from Liverpool to Albany, Australia, and worked as a farm hand in Katanning, Western Australia.
His father later lived at 12 Wentworth Cottages, Broxbourne, Herts.
Wartime Service
He enlisted on 16 March 1915 in Black Boy Hill, Western Australia and on 4 September 1915 he embarked from Alexandria, Egypt, with 'D' Company, 28th Battalion of the A.I.F. for Gallipoli on 'Ivernia'/Ansonia, arriving at Mudros, Greece in January 1916.
On 16 March 1916 he left to join the British Expeditionary Force in France and disembarked at Marseilles on 21 March 1916. He was promoted to temporary Corporal on 27 May 1916 but was admitted to the Australian Auxiliary Hospital as sick whilst on leave in England, being admitted to Woodcote Park, near Epsom, Surrey, with an injured knee. He was sent back to the 7th Battalion on 22 September 1916 and taken on strength.
Proceeding overseas to France from Folkestone on 4 April 1917, he re-joined the 28th Battalion on 10 April 1917, but was reported missing on 7 May 1917. It was later confirmed at a Court of Enquiry that he had been killed in action. At the end of the war his body was found and identified and Edward was buried in Bailleul Road East British Cemetery, France.
Additional Information
His father obtained probate of his son's estate in London on 17 December 1917 with effects of £262 16s 8d.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, naa.org.au.
