James Whittaker Edmondson

Private James Whittaker Edmondson was the son of Robert Whittaker Edmondson and Margaret Alice Edmondson. He was the husband of Mrs. S. E. Edmondson, of 9 Blencoe Street, Leederville, Western Australia.
He was a native of Burnley.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission >>

A Burnley Australian. Among the killed list

Burnley Express 7 August 1915

It is officially announced that Pte James Whittaker Edmondson, of the Australian Imperial force, has been killed in the Dardanelles.

Private J.W.Edmondson
Private J.W.Edmondson is well known in Burnley, being the eldest son of Mr R.W.Edmondson, newsagent, of 30 Olympia Street. He went to Australia about six years ago, and had been very successful there. He is 30 years of age, married, and has four children. On the outbreak of the war, he, along with his brother William, who has been in Australia about five years, volunteered for active service, and were included in one of the early Australian contingents.
Private J.W.Edmondson has been in the thick of the fighting in the Gallipoli Peninsula for some time, and a week or two ago his father received a very cheery letter from him. He said that the food they were getting was good, considering they were in the trenches. In a touching reference to his little sisters at home, he said, "Tell them I will send them a nice present when I get back to civilisation." He concluded the letter by stating that he was that afternoon just going into the firing line again, and he appears to have been killed almost immediately after he had despatched the letter.
Private Edmondson has four brothers serving in the army, William Wilson Edmondson (28) enlisted in May and is with the Australian Forces in the Dardanelles. Herbert Edmondson (27) is in Yorkshire with the R.F.A., having enlisted three months ago. Before the war he was employed by Messrs. Parkinson, wholesale druggists. The other two brothers worked on the Burnley Corporation Tramways, and enlisted within a short time of each other. Leo Aloysuis Edmondson (22) is in Home Defence Corps at Sheerness, and Bernard Vaughan Edmondson of the Royal Welsh field Artillery is now at Winchester.