BACKGROUND

Edward William Soutar was born 30^th June 1892 in Toowoomba, Qld, one of 5 sons of Alexander Soutar and his second wife Catherine nee O’Sullivan.  Scottish-born Alexander was a joiner journeyman when in 1878 in the town of Montrose he married Jane Stormant, with whom he had one daughter - Elizabeth Jane. Jane died in 1880 and Alexander emigrated to Australia with his daughter Elizabeth.

After one year in New South Wales, Alexander moved to Queensland, and in Brisbane in 1885 he was married to Irish-born Catherine O’Sullivan by the Rev. Charles McCulloch, with Presbyterian rites.  They had seven children together before Catherine passed away in 1902, and five of these offspring were living at the time of Alexander’s death in 1911.

ATTESTATION

Edward enlisted in Murwillumbah on 8^th January 1915 to complete his application. He answered several questions on the document, and we find out he was born in Toowoomba, was, 22 years 6 months old and a single man. He gave his occupation as labourer. His next of kin was his brother, Arthur, of Burringbar and he had spent one year in the Murwillumbah Infantry, from which he resigned

He then signed a declaration confirming he had answered the questions correctly and was willing to voluntarily agree to service in the Military Forces of the Commonwealth of Australia

PAGE 2

CERTIFICATE OF ATTESTING OFFICER

On the second page of the attestation documents the attesting confirms the following

“The foregoing questions were read to the person enlisted in my presence. I have taken care that he understood each question, and his answer to each question has been duly entered as replied to by him

OATH

He also made the following oath in the presence of the Attesting Officer: “I, Edward William Soutar, swear that I will well and truly serve our Sovereign Lord the King in the Australian Imperial Force until the end of the War, and a further four months thereafter unless sooner lawfully discharged, dismissed or removed therefrom: and that I will resist His Majesty’s enemies and case His Majesty’s peace to be kept and maintained; and I will in all matters appertaining to my services faithfully discharge my duty according to law

SO HELP ME, GOD.” 

MEDICAL EXAMINATION

His medical showed he was 5ft 6 ¾ inches tall (1.69m), weighed 9 stone 8lbs (61kgs), with a fair complexion, brown eyes & black hair. His eyesight was good. Edward was Presbyterian

CERTIFICATE OF MEDICAL EXAMINATION

I have examined the abovenamed person, and find that he does not present any of the following conditions, viz: -

Scrofula; phthisis; syphilis; impaired constitution; defective intelligence; defects of vision, voice, or hearing; hernia’ haemorrhoids; varicose veins, beyond a limited extent; marked varicocele with unusually pendent testicle; inveterate cutaneous disease’ chronic ulcers; traces of corporal punishment or evidence of having been marked with the letters D. or B.C; contracted or deformed chest; abnormal curvature of spine; or any other disease or physical defect calculated to unfit him for the duties of a soldier.

He can see the required distance with either eye; his heart and lungs are healthy; he has the free use of his joints and limbs; and he declares he is not subject to fits of any description

CERTIFICATE OF COMMANDING OFFICER

This is completed during the recruits training and was completed at Enoggera on 14^th April 1915

The commanding officer certifies that this attestation of the abovenamed person is correct, and that the required forms have been complied with. He states “I accordingly approve, and appoint him to 5^th Reinforcements, 9^th Battalion with service number 2019”

TRAINING AT RIFLE RANGE CAMP, ENOGGERA

As was the case with men from the Northern Rivers district in New South Wales, they trained at Rifle Range Camp, Enoggera near Brisbane. The Barracks Block was built as accommodation for men in two dormitories, each 36 feet by 22 feet (10.97 x 6.7 metres). Beds or bunks were not provided, instead each man slept on a palliasse with ground sheet on the floor. For many it was their first time away from home. Men from every walk of life, from clerks and teachers to factory and shop workers, were crammed together

Now training for the new recruits began. Firstly, the men received their vaccinations for smallpox, rabies & plague, then a recruit had to be inducted into military forms of discipline, command, and order. This was partially achieved through a program of basic training carried and, in a sense, was maintained for a long as a man was in the service. It involved marching and drilling with the rifle, cleaning and caring for personal equipment and being supervised and inspected in ways quite different to ordinary civilian life. For example, no boots should be allowed to get in a bad state of wear but must be sent to the bootmaker without delay for repair. Men who were found with hair long and unshaven had to have a haircut and shave

Secondly, after basic training there followed the far more serious exercise of turning a man into a fighting soldier at least partially prepared for the kind of warfare he was about to experience overseas. The topics and exercises in the syllabus of training were a world away from their former lives and included daily physical training, entrenching, wiring, firing rifle grenades, firing the Lewis light machine gun, dealing with gas attack, using hand grenades, using the bayonet, and the routines to be followed in the trenches.

This training was then put into practice during what were called ‘Field Days,’ when men would practice using the skills they had acquired in mock attacks both by day and by night. How well men had learnt to use their weapons, in cooperation with each other in training, would be tested in the harsh reality of the front line. Training would take several months

The recruits were issued with their uniform- service dress jacket was made of Australian wool, and its loose fit gave the wearer more allowance for movement. The four large pockets were very useful. A unique feature designed for comfort was the pleated back, which provided a double thickness of cloth down the back that the pack rubbed against. Breeches were corduroy worn with wool wrap puttees. The famous khaki felt slouch hat or early service cap is probably the most distinctive part of the uniform. turned up on the left and featuring a plain khaki band, chinstrap and “rising sun” badge. A soldier’s equipment also included a dixie (mess tin), water bottle, mug, .303 Lee-Enfield rifle and bayonet.

VOYAGE OVERSEAS FROM BRISBANE TO EGYPT

On the 16^{th of} April 1915 the recruits left Brisbane, sailing upon the HMAT Kyarra.  Alongside his comrades, Edward marched aboard, his boots ringing on the gangway. As the ship’s lines were cast off and the quay began to slip away, the reality of war lay ahead, but for now, the sea breeze carried only the sound of voices and the excitement of men bound for adventure, duty, and the unknown.

The epic voyage across the ocean has been described as “the longest journey to war in the history of the world.” They thought it was the start of a new adventure- for many it was their first time so far away from home. However, after some time at sea the biggest problem turned out to be boredom. On the voyage, due to overcrowding, training was limited to mainly to lectures and a little physical training.

Sleeping & Living Arrangements

Recruits likely slept in a crowded troop deck below, where rows of hammocks or three-tier wooden bunks were crammed close together.

Air below decks could be stuffy, especially in warmer climates, and seasickness was common during the first few days.

Daily Routine

Reveille early each morning, followed by physical exercises on the open decks (weather permitting). There were parades and inspections—officers ensured uniforms, rifles, and kit were clean and in order. Training was a little problematic: drill without much space, rifle maintenance, lectures on military discipline, signalling, and trench warfare theory. The ship’s decks were used for marching in tight circles or practising bayonet thrusts into stuffed sacks. Rifle shooting was impossible at sea, so soldiers learned to strip and clean their weapons until it was second nature.

Meals

Three hearty meals a day were served; breakfast usually consisted of porridge, stew, and tea. Lunch included soup, meat, vegetables, and pudding. Meat, bread with jam and tea was served for dinner. The meals were served in shifts from the ship’s galley. Queues were long, and eating on a rolling ship meant many tried to eat quickly before nausea set in.

Health & Sanitation

Shipboard hygiene was critical—every man was ordered to scrub his section daily to prevent disease. Saltwater baths were the norm, with freshwater rationed for drinking.

The Voyage Experience

Entertainment included church drill, concerts, singalongs, card games, and makeshift cricket matches on deck when the weather allowed. To keep up morale, an area of the ship was roped off where regular boxing and wrestling tournaments were held. This became commonly known as the Stoush Stadium. No letters could be sent until they reached port, but men often wrote diaries or unsent letters to be posted later.

The troops engaged in lifebelt drill; a cookhouse on deck; soldiers on fatigues peeling potatoes 'spud bashing'; going to the dentist; barber, pay day; soldiers cleaning personal equipment; medical inspection

CROSSING THE EQUATOR CEREMONY

The crossing the Equator ceremony, ‘Neptune’s Journey,’ was played-out on each troopship.

SIGHTS AT SEA

On the way to Egypt the ship would pass through the Great Australian Bight, cross the Indian Ocean, and stop at Colombo (Ceylon now Sri Lanka) for coal and supplies.

SECURITY

By late 1914, German raiders were active, so lifeboat drills were frequent, and lookouts kept watch for suspicious ships. Troopships generally sailed in convoys or at least took zig-zag courses to make torpedo attacks harder. Ships often travelled under blackout conditions at night, with lookouts specifically watching for periscopes or torpedo wakes.

APPROACHING EGYPT

After several weeks at sea, the men finally saw the dusty shoreline of Egypt. The reality of leaving home truly sank in. The recruits would soon exchange the ship’s cramped decks for the sandy training grounds of Egypt, preparing for what lay ahead.

EGYPTIAN TRAINING CAMP

After disembarking from the HMAT Kyarra, Edward would have been sent to one of the sprawling reinforcement camps established near Cairo, most likely at Mena or Heliopolis. These camps, set against the stark backdrop of the desert and, in some cases, within sight of the Pyramids, became a temporary home for the steady stream of reinforcements arriving from Australia.

Here, Edward’s training resumed with renewed intensity. Although he had already undergone preparation at home, the realities of active service demanded further refinement. Days were filled with route marches over hot, sandy ground, rifle drills, musketry practice, and physical conditioning designed to harden men for the rigours ahead. The climate itself was a test—blazing days followed by surprisingly cold nights—while dust, flies, and unfamiliar surroundings added to the discomfort. Yet this period was vital, transforming reinforcements into soldiers ready to join seasoned units at the front.

During this time, Edward would also have absorbed something of the unique atmosphere of Egypt in wartime. Cairo, with its crowded streets, bazaars, and ancient landmarks, offered both fascination and temptation to men far from home. Leave, when granted, provided brief escape from camp routine, though military authorities kept a close watch on behaviour.

TAKEN ON STRENGTH JUNE 1915

On 22 June 1915, Edward was finally taken on strength with the 9th Battalion. By then, the battalion had already been heavily engaged at Gallipoli since April, and the need for reinforcements was urgent. His arrival marked the end of his training period in Egypt and the beginning of his transition into active operations, joining a unit that had already endured the harsh realities of the campaign.

EDWARD JOINS THE BATTALION AT GALLIPOLI

When Edward was taken on strength on 22 June 1915, the battalion was already deeply entrenched at Gallipoli Peninsula. The early, chaotic landings of April were over, and the campaign had settled into a grim and exhausting stalemate of trench warfare.

He would have been sent almost immediately from reinforcement camps on Lemnos across to the front line—usually landing at Anzac Cove under cover of darkness.

JUNE–JULY 1915: HOLDING THE LINE

Edward entered a battlefield defined less by sweeping advances and more by endurance. The 9th Battalion occupied sections of the Anzac line, where daily life consisted of:

·      Manning narrow, exposed trenches

·      Repairing parapets damaged by shellfire

·      Sniping and being sniped at

·      Carrying supplies, water, and ammunition up steep gullies

Even when not in direct assault, casualties were constant from bullets, artillery, disease, and the ever-present threat of Turkish attacks.

AUGUST 1915: THE GREAT OFFENSIVE

In August, Edward would have experienced the most intense fighting of his service to that point—the August Offensive.

The 9th Battalion took part in attacks connected to the struggle for positions such as Lone Pine and the wider effort to break out from the Anzac perimeter. This was close-quarter, brutal fighting, often involving bombing (grenades), bayonet work, and desperate attempts to seize or hold trenches only metres apart.

The offensive ultimately failed, at a terrible cost, and the battalion—like all others—was left exhausted and depleted.

SEPTEMBER–NOVEMBER 1915: STALEMATE AND DECLINE

After August, the campaign returned to stalemate. For Edward, this period would have been marked by:

Rotations between front line, support, and reserve trenches

Increasing sickness—dysentery, diarrhoea, and general debilitation were rampant

Declining morale as it became clear the campaign was going nowhere

By this stage, many original members of the battalion were gone, and reinforcements like Edward made up a significant portion of the unit.

DECEMBER 1915: EVACUATION

In December came one of the most remarkable phases of the campaign—the evacuation of Gallipoli. The 9th Battalion was withdrawn as part of the carefully planned evacuation from Anzac. Men were progressively removed, often leaving behind rifles rigged to fire automatically to deceive the enemy.

Edward would have left the peninsula and returned to Lemnos, where the army regrouped.

APPOINTED SERGEANT COOK DECEMBER 1915

It was here, on 24 December 1915, that he was appointed Sergeant Cook—a role likely reflecting reliability and experience gained during those harsh months. A Sergeant Cook—that is, a sergeant in charge of cooking duties, usually responsible for a company’s kitchen, rations, and the men assigned to food preparation. It was a recognised appointment within a battalion, not a surname. So, by December 1915, Edward had likely been moved out of the rifle companies and into the battalion’s logistical side, a role that carried real responsibility, especially under campaign conditions.

REST & RECREATION JANUARY 1916

Following the evacuation from Gallipoli, Edward left the island of Lemnos with the departing forces, embarking at Mudros early in January 1916. Sailing aboard the troopship Grampian, he arrived back in Egypt, where the AIF began reorganising after the long and costly campaign. The respite was brief. Within weeks, Edward again embarked, this time bound for a new and far more demanding theatre of war.

FRANCE AND THE WESTERN FRONT APRIL1 916

Travelling on the Saxonia, he crossed the Mediterranean and disembarked at Marseilles in April 1916, joining the British Expeditionary Force on the Western Front. Here, the nature of the war was entirely different from Gallipoli—vast trench systems stretching across France and Belgium, dominated by artillery, mud, and relentless attrition. Edward remained with the 9th Battalion through this period, now serving not as a rifleman but in his appointed role as a cook, responsible for the preparation and distribution of food to the men under often difficult and dangerous conditions.

ANZAC CORPS SCHOOL JULY 1917

By 1917, his experience in this role had clearly been recognised. In July, Edward was detached from his battalion and taken on strength at the Anzac Corps School, where selected soldiers underwent further instruction.

2^ND ARMY COOKERY SCHOOL SEPTEMBER 1917

Shortly afterwards, he was formally transferred for specialist training, and in September attended the 2nd Army Cookery School. This was not a minor course, but part of a broader effort to improve standards of nutrition and efficiency within the army, ensuring that men at the front received properly prepared meals despite the constraints of active service.

Having successfully completed his training, Edward returned to duty later that month, now a qualified and experienced military cook.

GRANTED LEAVE DECEMBER 1917

After the strain of continuous service through two major theatres of war, he was granted leave on 15^th December 1917—a well-earned respite from the demands of the front. He returned to his unit on 31^st December.

4^TH ARMY COOKERY SCHOOL FEBRUARY 1918

To further enhance his skills Edward attended the 4^th Army Cookery School from 26^th February to 9^th March 1918

RETURNED TO 9^TH BATTALION APRIL 1918

On 29^th April Edward was transferred back to the 9^th Battalion

SPRING OFFENSIVE APRIL 1918

When Edward returned to the 9th Battalion on 29 March 1918, he stepped back into active service at a moment of extreme crisis on the Western Front. Only days earlier, on 21 March, the German Army had launched the great Spring Offensive, a massive and carefully prepared assault designed to break the Allied line before American forces could arrive in strength. The attack fell heavily upon the British Fifth Army along the Somme, and within a short time the front, which had been relatively stable for years, was thrown into confusion as units were forced into a fighting withdrawal.

The Australian divisions, including Edward’s battalion, were hurried south to help stem the advance towards the vital rail and communications centre of Amiens. The ground into which Edward was reintroduced was not the orderly trench system of earlier years, but a shifting and uncertain battlefield. Positions were often hastily prepared, sometimes little more than shallow scrapes in the earth, and units were moved rapidly from place to place to reinforce threatened sectors. The strain on the men was considerable, as they faced constant shellfire, the threat of sudden attack, and the knowledge that the enemy was pressing hard in an attempt to force a breakthrough.

By April, the focus of the fighting had settled around the area of Villers-Bretonneux, a village whose capture would have given the Germans a commanding position overlooking Amiens. In the days leading up to and following the Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux, the countryside became the scene of intense and often confused fighting. Although the dramatic Australian counterattack of 24–25 April succeeded in recapturing the village, the danger did not pass with that success. Instead, the period that followed was marked by continued shelling, sniping, and localised clashes as both sides struggled to secure their positions and guard against renewed attack.

It was into this environment that Edward carried out his duties. Though appointed as a Sergeant Cook, his role did not remove him from danger. Food had to be brought forward to the men in the line, often along exposed routes subject to enemy observation and fire, and cooking was frequently carried out under difficult and hazardous conditions. In a fluid battle such as this, even those in specialist roles could find themselves close to, or within, the fighting itself.

CAPTURE OF VILLERS- BRETONNEUX – WOUNDED IN BATTLE 29TH APRIL 1918

On 29 April 1918, in the tense days following the recapture of Villers-Bretonneux, Edward was wounded in action in the early morning. He received a gunshot wound to his right foot, an injury consistent with the kind of small-arms fire that remained a constant threat along the front. Whether moving between positions, supervising the preparation of rations, or carrying out other duties in forward areas, he would have been exposed to the risks that all men in the line shared.

Following his wounding, Edward was evacuated from the battlefield and passed into the medical system. His wounding stands as clear evidence that even in a role removed from direct combat, he remained very much within the reach of it, sharing in the hardships and dangers that defined the experience of the 9th Battalion during one of the most critical phases of the war.

FORWARD AID POSTS

Edward received initial treatment at two Forward Aid Posts on 29^th April. These were crucial points in the medical evacuation chain for wounded soldiers. They were located 200-300 yards from the front line and served as a rudimentary care point where soldiers received basic medical attention. The posts were staffed by a Regimental Medical Officer, medical orderlies, and stretcher bearers who provided first aid, cleaned wounds, and dressed them. The posts were situated in areas such as communication trenches, ruined buildings, or dug outs. They were the first step in the medical evacuation process, ensuring soldiers received immediate medical attention before being transported to the next level of care

8^TH STATIONARY HOSPITAL FRANCE

On 2^nd May he was transferred to the 8^th Stationary Hospital in France where his foot underwent surgery and splints were placed on his leg. They arranged for him to be evacuated to England

CENTRAL MILITARY HOSPITAL CHATHAM MAY 1918

On 6^th May he arrived in Chatham where he was nursed to recovery

3^RD AUSTRALIAN AUXILLARY HOSPITAL DARTFORD MAY 1918

On 27^th May he was transferred to Dartford, near the coast, in preparation for his return to Australia.

ARRIVAL OF BROTHER

Nine days later his brother Charles, who had been wounded on 24 April 1918, arrived there.  One imagines there was a happy re-union for the two brothers

DISCHARGE AND VOYAGE HOME JUNE 1918

After discharge from Dartford on 30 June 1918 Edward returned to Australia on the HMAT Kanowna A61, disembarking in Sydney on 3 September, and back in Queensland was formally discharged on 27 February 1919.

CLOTHING AND NECESSITIES GIVEN TO SOLDIERS FOR SOLDIERS PROCEEDING TO AUSTRALIA FOR DEMOBILISATION

Badges Hat                    Badges Collar (2)                    Bags kit universal

Bags kit sea                   Braces (pair)                            Brush, shaving

Brush, tooth                  Breeches M.S (Military service)

Cap comforter (warm cap)                                           Comb, hair

Disc identity with cord                                                  Drawers (2 pairs)

Great Coat                     Hat, Khaki fur                          Hat, white

Holdall                           Housewife (compact sewing kit)

Jackets Cardigan           Jackets S.D (service dress)

Leggings 1 pair             Laces, leather 1 pair

Puggarees, small (a traditional Indian head wrap, worn in warm conditions

Puttees, 1 pair (cloth bandages worn by soldiers, to provide support and protection for the lower leg)

Razor                              Shirts, flannel (2)                   Socks, 3 pairs

Singlets (2)

Strap chin                      Soap piece                               Suit, working

Towels, hand (2)

Titles “Australia” (4)-
Australian soldiers and non-commissioned officers wore an “Australia” title at the base of their shoulder straps. Each serving soldier also wore unit titles above this which indicated the units to which they belonged

POST-WAR

On return to civilian life Edward was employed by Tristram and Company – a well-known Brisbane manufacturer of soft drinks and cordial – as a carter salesman.  He had a slight limp with his left leg being a little shorter than the other, and on discharge from the Army was not fitted with surgical boots.  His uneven gait and stance meant that the walking and lifting involved in delivering up to six tonnes of drinks a day to 40-50 shops was to take its toll on his spine over the years.

MARRIAGE

Edward married in Toowoomba on 8 November 1919 in St Luke’s (Church of England) to Amy Shears, third eldest daughter of Francis Shears, a baker and Mary (nee Hughes).  A report of the wedding noted that Edward had been a member of the ‘famous 9th Battalion’ and that his best man, George Walker, had also served in the 9th.

HOME LIFE

The couple took up residence in Gordon Street, Coorparoo and had one daughter (Daphne Anna) and four sons, two of whom predeceased Edward (one very young, the other Eddie at age 17 in 1939).  From at least 1925 Edward’s eldest sister Elizabeth Jane Soutar lived with the family, until her death in 1957.

Edward coped with the delivery work for Tristram’s up until the early 1950s, when he needed increasing periods of leave, but the Company was sympathetic and gave him clerical work, and in 1955 supported his claim for a pension review, commenting that “We feel sure that Mr Soutar would not put in a claim to obtain a benefit to which he was not justly entitled’. Eventually Edward was granted a totally and permanently incapacitated pension by the Repatriation Commission.

DEATH AND BURIAL DECEMBER 1966

He died on 15 December 1966 in Mount Olivet at Kangaroo Point, aged 74, and was buried in the Toowong Cemetery (portion 18, section 116, plots 1 and 2) with Church of England rites.  Amy, daughter Daphne and sons William Keith and Ronald James survived him.

FOR HIS SERVICE

For his service Edward was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal and his name is recorded on the Brisbane St, St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church Great War Honour Roll (1) and the Burringbar War Memorial 

If you have any additional information about this individual, we invite you to email us at rsl@msmc.org.au.