Edward Aubrey and the Battle of Beersheba

The First World War Battle of Beersheba was fought in Palestine 100 years ago.

Our digital collection includes the diary of Edward Aubrey. He served from 10 February 1916 to 19 February 1919. He served with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, 19th Reinforcements, New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade. Edward took part in the Battle of Beersheba, and was wounded on 5 November 1917. Part of his left leg was amputated.

The attack on Beersheba began at dawn, infantry attacking from South mtd troops from east & north #WW100 https://t.co/jZqAs8BkdP

— Edward Aubrey (@aubreydiary) October 30, 2017

From his diary entries 4 and 5 November, and 12 and 13 November:

1917 November 4 Sun
Releived [sic] 6th MR.
heavy casualties here today
1917 November 5 Mon
Wounded 12-30 mid day

1917 November 12 Mon
Operated on again to have tubes put in my leg & knee fixed up a little
1917 November 13 Tues
Another operation on Nov 19th to have my leg off

Edward Aubrey spent the rest of the war in medical care in Egypt and Britain. He came back to New Zealand after the war and went farming in the Omarama area, on land won in a ballot as part of a Returned Soldiers' initiative.

• Read Edward Aubrey's diary online
• Follow tweets from his diary at @aubreydiary

Tweets by aubreydiary

More about the Battle of Beersheba

• Commemoration of the Battle of Beersheba in WWI Andrew McRae, RNZ
• Capture of Beersheba Ministry for Culture and Heritage, updated 30-Oct-2017
• NZ’s role in history’s last great cavalry charge Mark Jennings, Newsroom
• Beersheba information on DigitalNZ

WW100

Visit our page on WW100 – New Zealand’s First World War centenary commemorations

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