Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Biography of Edward Lloyd Cheney

Lieutenant Edward Cheney was born in Warrington, England, 1891. His parents were Henry Cheney and Margaret Finkill. Cheney also had an older brother, Henry Arundel Cheney and a sister, E. Brailey Cheney. In his childhood, Edward had learned from a school in Heathside, Warrington, Lancashire, UK, although the exact name of the school was unknown. Cheney later moved to South Australia along with his siblings, to Waverley St, Upper Mitcham. As an occupation, Edward became a dealer assistant, and in later records, he was a dealer.  Cheney also previously had some form of army experience, that being the Royal Marines. He was also discharged from the Royal Marines by purchase, meaning he was ‘bailed’, most likely due to the events of the First World War.

According to the medical records, Cheney was 22 years and 2 months old, had a fresh complexion, grey eyes, was 5 feet 8 inches (172.7cm) and 140 pounds (63.5kg), quite light for a young adult. He had not married anyone at that time. 5 days before his final enlistment, Edward, along with his brother had embarked on transport A11 Ascanius on the 20th of October 1914 and placed in the 10th Infantry Battalion. His service number was 546. By the time Cheney was welcomed into the Army, on the 25th of August 1914, Cheney’s enlistment rank was a Corporal, skipping ranks due to his 2 and ½ years of past experience in the Royal Marines.

After 9 months of training with his Battalion, Cheney was taken to his first major battle with his Battalion on the 25th of April 1915; the Gallipoli campaign. During the battle, the Sergeant in Cheney’s Battalion was injured in action in the Anzac trenches, and Cheney had bravely taken the Sergeant’s command. Fortunately, Cheney survived the Gallipoli campaign, and almost a year later on the 14th of January 1916, he had left the trenches safely with his Battalion.

A month later, once Cheney had returned to Egypt, he was transferred from the 10th Battalion to the 50th Battalion on the 26th of February and Taken on Strength on the 29th of February. He was then promoted the following day to Regimental Sergeant Major (R.S.M) Warrant Officer Class 1 (WO C1).

On June 1916 Cheney, along with his Battalion arrived at France, where the Battle of Pozieres took place. Cheney was then commissioned Second Lieutenant on the 26th of August 1916. On the 25th of October 1916, Edward Cheney had been awarded the Military Cross.

The citation:

“Conspicuous Gallantry in action.  With thirty men and two machine guns he repulsed an enemy attack, displaying great courage and initiative. He set a splendid example to his men throughout”

He was formally awarded the cross on the 15th of November 1916.

A month later, Cheney was promoted to Lieutenant.

Unfortunately, on the 11th of November, Cheney had become sick had to remain in the 39th General Hospital for 47 days until he was in a stable enough condition to return to the AIF.

He was then seconded for duty with the 13th Training Battalion on the 17th of March 1917, in which he trained for 7 months before he re-joined his Battalion. During this time, Edward’s older brother, Henry Arundel Cheney, died in action on the 2nd April 1917, and he received his death notice while he was training.

On the 12th of March 1918, Cheney, along with his platoon under his command, was sent into the trenches to do some running maintenance, when they were ambushed by heavy German artillery fire, Cheney was mortally wounded, having shell wounds in his arm and abdomen. Cheney was rushed to the 11th Casualty Clearing Station (CCS) but the wounds were too severe, Cheney had died a few hours later. Several other soldiers in Cheney’s platoon had also been wounded and died in the incident. Cheney was only 25 when he died.

Almost 4 years after the death of Edward Cheney, on the 29th of August 1922, Cheney’s family had received the Victory Medal on his behalf. Cheney was buried at the Godewaersvelde British Cemetery in France.

His grave description is:

“You died nobly proud to share some foreign grave for England’s sake.” 

Full name was Edward Lloyd Cheney. Name recorded only as Edward Cheney on Embarkation Roll. (www.awm.gov.au)

 ***

On 12 March 1918, Lieutenant Cheney had being leading a platoon from 'A' Company, 50th Battalion. The platoon under his command was sent out as a working party from Kemmel Shelters (where the 50th Battalion was billeted) to do some running maintenance. The working party, however, came under heavy German Artillery Fire and in the process Lieutenant Cheney was mortally wounded. He was taken to the nearby 11th Casualty Clearing Station, but there was nothing they could do and he died there a little later on.

Private Folo (/explore/people/139582) was also killed along with Lieutenant Cheney by the shell fire, whilst several others from the working party were wounded. All those who were wounded eventually recovered from their wounds.

Nathan Rohrlach, 2015.