The AIF Project

Edward Alfred BASSETT

Regimental number2785
Place of birthMelbourne, Victoria
SchoolAuburn & Camberwell State Schools, Victoria
ReligionMethodist
OccupationSalesman
Address9 Waterloo Street, Camberwell, Victoria
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation20
Height5' 9.5"
Weight140 lbs
Next of kinFather, W Bassett, Waterloo Street, Camberwell, Victoria
Previous military serviceServed for 2 years, 48th Infantry, Senior Cadets; 2 years as a Sergeant, 48th Infantry, Citizen Military Forces.
Enlistment date29 June 1915
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name6th Battalion, 9th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/23/2
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A16 Star Of Victoria on 10 September 1915
Rank from Nominal RollCompany Sergeant Major
Unit from Nominal Roll58th Battalion
FateKilled in Action 19 July 1916
Date of death19 July 1916
Age at death20
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsV.C. Corner (Panel No 13), Australian Cemetery, Fromelles, France
Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
165
Family/military connectionsBrother: Lieutenant Walter Eric BASSETT, MC, Field Engineers & Royal Flying Corps.
Other details

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Taken on strength, 6th Bn, Tel el Kebir, 7 January 1916.

Promoted Sergeant, 15 January 1916.

Transferred to 58th Bn, 17 February 1916.

Promoted Company Sergeant Major with rank of Warrant Officer Class II as from 26 April 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 17 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 23 June 1916.

Reported missing in action, 19 July 1916.

Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 1 September 1917, pronounced fate as 'KILLED IN ACTION', 19 July 1916.

Red Cross File No 270403 has statement from Sergeant McDONALD (patient, 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield, 10 November 1916: 'At Bois Grenier, he was killed on night of 19th July in a charge - some time after a scouting party went out to collect information and bring in discs, and they brought in his pay book, he is marked off as killed in the battalion records.'

Second statement, 4772 Pte R. DAVENPORT, A Company, 58th Bn (patient, Ward 15, Beaufort War Hospital, Bristol), 9 December 1916: 'He was killed in a stunt on July 19th, 1916, by machine gun fire. I saw him fall, but it was impossible to get his body in.'

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
SourcesNAA: B2455, BASSETT Edward Alfred
Red Cross file 270403

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