Edith Edwards

Today we remember Edith Edwards, who joined the Women’s Land Army at just 16 to help with the war effort on the home front. She recalls her family receiving a telegram saying her eldest brother was missing. But her father did not give up hope of seeing his son again.

Edith Edwards audio file (MP4 23.86 MB)

Edith Edwards audio script

75th Anniversary of the End of the Second World War

Audio actuality

“Fellow Citizens, the War is over” — (The Hon J B Chifley, Prime Minister of Australia)

On the 75th Anniversary of the End of the Second World War, Australia remembers Edith Edwards, who joined the Women’s Land Army at 16 to help the war effort on the home front.

But coping with the capture of her brother, Jimmy, by the Japanese in Singapore was much harder.

Edith Edwards

My eldest brother was taken prisoner of war in Singapore. We just got a telegram to say he was missing. And all through the war, dad used to listen and say: “He’s alive, he’s alive”. And my mother always thought that he was dead. But it was very sad, because my father died just before we found out that he was alive.

So mum and I — we all went up, and we were looking and looking for Jimmy. And this voice: “Mum, mum, don’t you know me?” And this poor thing on two walking sticks. This was my six-foot big brother that went away, you know. Ohhh, it was awful!

Anyway, mum told Jimmy about dad, and he said: “I’m awfully sorry mum, I can’t shed a tear. I’ve seen so much death it means nothing to me”. And that hurt mum’s feelings then, but I knew … I knew what he meant. But oh dear, it was a sad homecoming.

Saturday, August 15 marks the 75th Anniversary of the End of the Second World War. Let’s pay our respects to that amazing generation of Australians.