This blog is a companion to the Database of Volunteers of Essendon and Flemington

Friday, April 22, 2011

A Brilliant Student

Private Edwin James George Pitman of Smith Street, Kensington, departed for the war on the Barambah in August 1918.  At the time of his enlistment in January 1918 he was one of the top maths student in the state.  He had previously served four years with the 53rd (Albert Park) Battalion senor cadets, and with the Melbourne University Rifles during his period at the University.  Was the Army protecting him by sending him to the Pay Corps?  Any other volunteer of his age and previous military training might have expected to have been on a ship and heading towards France within weeks of his enlistment.  He could have spent months in France in 1918 dodging shells - instead of which he arrived in London three days after the Armistice.  Sheila Byard tells the story of this brilliant student.

4 comments:

  1. How very interesting - so he was at Ormond College at the same time as our Dr J.M.Andrew of Yallourn. We have a couple of Ormond College magazines of the time - will check through when I get a chance.

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  2. Thanks Linda, very kind. Did Dr Andrew join up?

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  3. Hi Lenore, he did, as a second year medical student, on 10 October 1918. He was immediately sent on leave, and his papers were later marked "Cancelled", and "Not called up". They do show he was a member of the Melbourne University Rifles though, which I have not found anywhere else.

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  4. I have tried very hard to find a photo of the MUR online, but no success. I daresay they have one in their archives, maybe.

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