John Edmondson was born at Wagga Wagga, New South Wales on 8 October 1914. His parents moved to Liverpool, New South Wales, where John attended school and later worked on the family farm. His military career began in the Militia in 1939 with the 4th Battalion (the Australia Rifles). This formed the nucleus of the 2/17 h Battalion which John Edmondson joined on 20 May 1940. Because of his Militia training and experience, he was promoted to Corporal just 8 days later.
His battalion trained at Ingleburn and Bathurst in New South Wales and then sailed for the Middle East on 19 October 1940. His unit, which was part of the 9th Division, spent some time in Palestine and at Port Said and Mersa Matruh before relieving the 6th Australian Division at Marsa Brega in Cyrenaica on 9 March 1941.
The Germans had a new Commander, General Erwin Rommel, who quickly realised that the British defences were weak and inadequate.
On 31 March he ordered an attack which pushed back the Allied Forces which included the 20th British Brigade and the 9th Australian Division.
The Australians stopped at Tobruk where Rommel commenced the famous siege on Good Friday, 11 April 1941.
Two days later, Rommel had assembled his German and Italian Divisions and planned to attack on the morning of 14 April employing a tank regiment and a machine‑gun battalion. The attack was to be carried out to the west of the EI Adem road where the 2/17'1` Battalion's sector was located.
Prior to the attack, at 11.00 p.m. on 13 April 1941, the German troops decided to destroy post R.33. Thirty Germans, with two guns, a mortar and eight machine guns established a position inside the perimeter.
Bro. Lieutenant Frank Mackell, the platoon commander of Post R.33, decided to attack the German position and led a bayonet charge in company with Corporal Edmondson and five other soldiers.
Edmondson received wounds in the neck and stomach but he continued to advance, killing one of the enemy. In spite of his serious wounds, he then went to the assistance of his officer.
Mackell said:
'As the Germans scattered, he chased them and killed at least two. 1 was in difficulties wrestling with one German on the ground whilst another was coming straight for me with a pistol. 1 called out 'Jack' and from about 15 yards away Edmondson ran to help me and bayoneted both Germans. He went on and bayoneted at least one more. Edmondson saved my life.'
Mackell's party then returned to their post with one of the enemy as a prisoner.
Early next morning, on 14 April 1941, Corporal John Hurst Edmondson died from his wounds.
The action, for which he was posthumously awarded the first of the 17 Victoria Crosses won by Australian military personnel during the Second World War, succeeded in disrupting the German plan. It had diverted enemy troops from the main attack.
Corporal Edmondson, known to his mates as 'Meggsy' after the comic strip character 'Ginger' and his red hair, was buried in the Tobruk War Cemetery.
Edmondson's mother, who had not yet learnt of her son's heroic death, wrote in her diary for 14 April:
'I shall never forget today ... and to make it worse Stuffy (the cat) joined in. He came and simply howled then ran from room to room. I had to put him out'
Twelve days later, Mrs Edmondson received a telegram advising of John's death from the Minister for the Army, Wor.Bro. Percy Spender.
Mrs. Edmondson received her son's Victoria Cross on 27 September 1941 from the Governor‑General, himself a V.C. winner, Most Wor.Bro. His Excellency Lord Gowrie. (q.v.).
A posthumous portrait of John Edmondson was painted by Joshua Smith and, in 1960, watched by Bro. Lieutenant Mackell, John's mother presented his medals and some personal effects to the Australian War Memorial where they are displayed together with one of the enemy machine guns captured by, the party from Post R.33.
Edmondson's name is commemorated by the outer suburb of Edmondson Park situated some 5 km south‑west from the Sydney, suburb of Liverpool.
A clock commemorating his name was unveiled in the central business district of Liverpool by the Governor of New South Wales, Most Wor.Bro. His Excellency General Sir John Northcott. The memorial club house of the Liverpool Branch of the Returned Services League also remembers his name.
Corporal John Edmondson is remembered in his home town in St.John's Church, Wagga Wagga, by a plaque with the inscription:
‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑
A TRIBUTE TO THE MEMORY OF
NX 15705 CORPORAL JOHN HURST EDMONDSON, V.C.
2/17 BATTALION A.I.F.
BORN IN WAGGA 8th OCTOBER 1914. BAPTISED IN THIS CHURCH
WHO GAVE HIS LIFE IN SAVING HIS OFFICER AT TOBRUK
DIED 14 h APRIL 1941 AGED 26 YEARS
GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS,
THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS
‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑
Bro. John Hurst Edmondson was initiated into Freemasonry in Lodge Liverpool No. 197 on the register of the United Grand Lodge of New South Wales on 3 April 1935. He was not quite 21 years of age. He was passed to the Second Degree on 5 June 1935 and raised a Master Mason on 3 July 1935.
At a special communication of the United Grand Lodge of New South Wales on 12 July 1941, Lord Gowrie, V.C., (q.v.), proclaimed for a further term as Grand Master, drew attention to the death of Bro. John Edmondson, V.C. After detailing the circumstances, he concluded with:
'I will ask you, Brethren, to stand for (he space of one minute with head reverently bowed in memory of this distinguished warrior.'
Freemasons understand that 'in the sight of God, all men are equal' and it doesn't matter whether you are farm labourer or a Governor‑General; or a Corporal or a Brigadier‑General; or a Master Mason or the Grand Master, the Board of General Purposes of Grand Lodge wisely decided, in March 1945, to establish two scholarships funded by the masons of New South Wales.
They were named in honour of Edmondson and Gowrie.
On 6 March 1965, the Grand Master, Most Wor.Bro. E.L. Beers, C.B.E., set the foundation stone of the new Masonic Centre at Liverpool. This building was to replace the old one in which Bro. Edmondson's Commemorative Tablet was placed in 1945 by Most Wor.Bro. Frank Whiddon. The new Centre was dedicated on 29 October 1965 and the Tablet now occupies an honoured place in the building.
A portrait of Bro. Edmondson also hangs proudly in the Liverpool Masonic Centre and Lodge Victoria Cross No. 1928, consecrated on 31 October 1958, at Liverpool recalls his gallant action.
Information supplied from the book " Australian and New Zealand Freemasons and the Victoria Cros" by Grahame Cumminge PDGM UGL of NSW & ACT
