11499 / 20017
MATTNER, Edward William
| Service Numbers: | 8380, SX12762, S1124 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 7 September 1915, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 2nd/13th Field Regiment |
| Born: | Oakbank, South Australia, 16 September 1893 |
| Home Town: | Oakbank, Adelaide Hills, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Adelaide High School, University of Adelaide |
| Occupation: | School Teacher |
| Died: | Natural causes, Daw Park, South Australia, 21 December 1977, aged 84 years |
| Cemetery: |
Bonney Flat Methodist Cemetery, South Australia |
| Memorials: | Adelaide High School Great War Honour Board, Adelaide University of Adelaide WW1 Honour Roll, Balhannah WW2 Roll of Honour, Oakbank Old Scholars Roll of Honor, South Australian Education Department Roll of Honour, Woodside District of Onkaparinga Honour Board |
Biography
"The grandson of German migrants, Edward Mattner was born in Oakbank, South Australia on 16 September 1893. He was working as an assistant teacher in South Australia when he decided to enlist two weeks before his 22nd birthday in 1915.
While serving in the 18th Battery of the 6th Field Artillery Mattner would thrice distinguish himself. The first occasion occurred in June of 1917, the battery was under heavy bombardment and a nearby ammunition dump caught fire, endangering the men, the guns and the ammunition. Mattner, with four others used buckets of water to try to extinguish the fires as well as moving ammunition while boxes were exploding around them. For this bravery Edward would receive the Military Medal..." - READ MORE (www.awm.gov.au)
"A SPLENDID RECORD. SOUTH AUSTRALIAN THRICE DECORATED.
Many remarkable performances have been written down, to the credit of mem bers of the Australian Imperial Force, and among the recipient of honors Second- Lieutenant E. W. Mattner, of the Battery, Field Artillery, certainly deserves to have his name prominently placed. The officer for some time in command of the battery, but now transferred to the command of the Artillery Brigade, gives details of Lieutenant Mattner's distinctions in a letter. The young South Aus tralian soldier is a son of Mrs. E. L. Matt ner, of Oakbank. He left Australia as a gunner, and was in turn promoted to the rank of bombadier, corporal, sergeant, and second-lieutenant. As a corporal he won the Military Medal at Messines in June last. He was a sergeant when the D.C.M. was granted to him for his behavior in the engagement at Menin-road, Ypres, in September.
He gained his commission in the field in October, and a few days later he was wounded, but remained on duty. Before many more days had elapsed he had won the Military Cross. During his 27 months on active service he has never missed a day on duty, and each decoration has been for personal bravery under heavy shell fire. The officer, who has himself been mentioned in dispatches five times, considers Mr. Mattner's record without parallel in the Australian artillery and, he thinks, in the British army. Lieutenant Mattner went through the fighting on the Somme, at Pozieres, Bullecourt, Messines, Menin-road (Ypres), and Paschendael. It is interesting to note that up to November 17 last the 18th Battery had been awarded 41 decorations. Thirteen of the non-commissioned officers had been granted commissions to that date and were serving with various units." - from the Adelaide Advertiser 07 Feb 1918 (nla.gov.au)
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