Edmund Parnell Bligh (1884-1918) | WikiTree FREE Family Tree

Edmund Parnell (Teddy) Bligh

Born 5 Oct 1884 in Charleville, Queensland (Australia)

Ancestors

Son of Richard John Blakeney Bligh and Catherine Angela (O'Keefe) Bligh

Brother of William Richard Bligh, Marie Isabell Fennell Bligh, Alice Beatrice Bligh, Maurice O'Connell Bligh, Bertie Ivo Bligh, Edith Annie Bligh, Ruby Bligh, Margeritha Bligh, Gwendoline Mary Bligh and Kathleen Nora (Bligh) O'Gready

Died 10 Apr 1918 at age 33 in Bouzencourt, Somme, Picardie, France

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Profile last modified 16 Feb 2023 | Created 1 Oct 2016

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Biography

Teddy Bligh is an Anzac who served in World War One.

Edmund Parnell 'Teddy' Bligh was born on 5th October 1884 on Boothulla Station Charleville, Queensland (Australia). He was the second son of Richard Bligh and Kate O'Keefe. ^[1] He was a paternal great great grandson of Vice Admiral William Bligh, fourth Governor of the Colony of New South Wales. Edmund eventually had two brothers and eight sisters, one of whom died in infancy. He attended the convent school in Dalby. ^[2]

Edmund obtained work as a compositor with the Dalby Herald and the Dalby Leader. From 1912 he spent two years living and working in Fiji, before returning to the Dalby Herald. Whilst back in Dalby he lived at home with his parents in Patrick Street. During 1915 he took up employment with the Beaudesert Times; Beaudesert being a small town south of Brisbane in Queensland's Scenic Rim. ^[2]

Knew Teddy as a pal, was short, hair dark,
about 40 [sic] years of age,
very cheerful and was a very good soldier.
Private R Hetherington, of Kiandra via Cooma NSW

On 20th November 1915 In Beaudesert, Edmund enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force, his young nation's overseas expeditionary force for the (First World) War, ^[3]^[4] and quickly became known as 'Teddy'. He embarked at Sydney aboard HMAT A64 Demosthenes on 18th May 1916, joining the 31st Australian Infantry Battalion, 8th Brigade, 5th Division on the Western Front in France. There, Teddy participated in battles at Fromelles, Bullecourt and Polygon Wood. ^[5]

Teddy Bligh was killed in action at Bouzencourt, France during The Great War.

Teddy was killed in action when enemy shells exploded on the barn in which his section were resting at 1:00pm on 10th April 1918 at Bouzencourt near Corbie in the Villers-Bretonneux region of France. ^[6] He was initially buried outside the ruins of the barn, together with another eleven killed, ^[7] and later moved to the Adelaide Cemetery, Plot III, Row S, Grave No. 20, Villers-Bretonneux. Edmund Parnell Bligh's name is located at panel 118 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra and on the Cenotaph in Beaudesert, Queensland. ^[8] His headstone today carries the inscription, "We have loved him in life, Will not forget him in death, RIP". ^[9]^[10] A Requiem Mass was celebrated, officiated at by the Reverend Father Nolan in St Joseph's Roman Catholic Church, Dalby, for the repose of Edmund's soul. ^[2]

The Beaudesert Times of 19th July 1918, in reporting Edmund's death, referred to him as 'our old friend' and described how he was well known in the district. ^[11]

Following the war his parents were issued Teddy's British War Medal and Victory Medal.

We have loved him in life
Will not forget him in death
RIP
inscription on headstone