Subject

David

Text

n/a

Inscription

To the Glory of God and in loving memory of Oswald Edward Edis, who lost his life in the Great War, Aug. 4th, 1916. Erected by his sister, Miss Clara B. Edis.

Description & History

David was one of eight windows designed by William 'Jock' Frater, made by EL Yencken & Co., and installed in time for the opening of the church in 1928. The basis for this design came from a work by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, the Llandaff triptych, painted 1858-c1864. It pictured the young David, striding forth to do battle with Goliath, symbolising the young Christian soldier. More than 20 years later, Alan Sumner used the same painting (and probably Frater's original design)as the basis for a window in Wesley Methodist Church, Frankston.

Oswald Edward Edis was born in Kyabram, son of David and Mary Edis. He was an 18 year-old student when he enlisted on 11 June 1915, with the consent of his father, his mother having died in 1897. He was a Private with 23 Battalion when he arrived at Alexandria on 10 January 1916 and after a couple more months training in Egypt, proceeded to France where he disembarked at Marseilles on 26 March 1916. Private Edis was killed in the fierce battle fought in the area of the Albert-Bapaume road near Pozieres on 4 August 1916. His body was later moved to Serre Road Cemetery No.2, about six miles north of Albert, France.

References & Acknowledgements

AWM Roll of Honour; NAA: B2455, Edis OE; Ford Maddox Hueffer, Rossetti: a critical essay on his art, Duckworth & Co., London 1902, pp.130-132.