Edward Peterson
Year of Birth: 1889
Place of Birth: Cairns, Qld
Date of Enlistment: 1 May 1915
Date and Place of Embarkation: 20 August 1915 Sydney
Ship: HMAT “Shropshire”
Rank: Private
Unit(s): 2nd Light Horse
Regimental Number: 1111
Died: 3 November 1915
Edward Peterson enlisted at Port Douglas on 6 January 1915. On his enlistment, he stated he was 26 years old, occupation farmer and was born in Cairns. He was described as 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighed 135 lbs. He had a fresh complexion with brown eyes and brown hair. He was Roman Catholic. He named his brother, Willie Peterson of Mossman, Qld, his next of kin.
On 13 August 1915, he was appointed to 7th Reinforcements 2nd Light Horse Regiment at Enoggera, Brisbane and on 20 August the same year he embarked from Sydney on HMAT “Shropshire”.
He landed at Gallipoli on 25 October 1915 and on 2 November suffered gunshot wounds to his back and abdomen. He was admitted to 13th Casualty Clearing Station but died of his wounds the next day. He was buried at Embarkation Pier Cemetery, Gallipoli and is remembered on the War Memorial erected at Port Douglas.
Online Resources
National Archives of Australia
National Library of Australia: Trove Digitised Newspapers
If you have a photograph or further information about this soldier you would like to share and add to his biography, please contact the Society at projects@cdfhs.org or leave a comment below. Thank you!