Edward Wilson Nally

NALLY, Edward Wilson- – – SPC 1911

DoB:- – 31 January 1897, Moonee Ponds, VIC

Father:- – Thomas Nally

Mother:- – Margaret, nee Wilson

Service No:- 2738

Rank:- – 2nd Lieutenant

Unit:- – Australian Flying Corps

Edward Nally enlisted in the AIF on 18 January 1918. He was 20 years and 11 months old, a single man whose occupation was inspector. He was five feet, six and three quarter inches tall, with a fresh complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. He named his brother Thomas as his next of kin, as both of his parents had died by 1918.

On enlistment, Edward was assigned to the Australian Flying Coy (AFC) at Laverton, a western suburb of Melbourne, and was attached to the 2nd Australian Mechanics.

He embarked from Melbourne aboard the Nestor on 28 February 1918, disembarking at Liverpool, England two months later, and marching in firstly to Wendover, and then on to Oxford for Cadetship training.

Having graduated in July 1918, he was appointed Flying Officer and was promoted to the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. There is not much detail about the remainder of Edward Nally’s service. He boarded the Cyaritza in England for his return to Australia on 16 March 1919, and was discharged in Melbourne on 15 May of that year.

It seems that Edward Nally did not marry. He moved around frequently, appearing at different addresses, and different states from one electoral year to the next. He variously stated his occupation as clerk or engineer, although in 1943, the final year he appears, he is living at 33 Ferrars Place, South Melbourne and his occupation is -‘nil’.

Edward Wilson Nally died in 1947 and the young age of 50 years. The College can find no evidence that he ever married or had a family.