Military History

 Pollard disembarked in Egypt and marched in to Training Camp. After a period of intensive training, he entrained to Alexandria, joined the MEF and embarked per HMAT 'Suffolk' for Gallipoli. He returned to Alexandria 19.5.1915. There are no stated reasons given for his return, however, his services as Driver may have been required in Egypt. Pollard returned to Tel-el-Kebir and received orders from the 11th Battalion Transport Base  to transfer to Mex Camp as a  28.10.1915.He was then transferred to Maadi 23.11.1915. Maaadi Camp was on the banks of the Nile in a town originally established by the Delta Land Company of London and contained many British personnel and administrators. 8 weeks later he returned to Tel-el-Kebir for a further period of training. The Army underwent a period of reorganisation as troops were prepared to go to the Western Front in Europe. Pollard entrained to Alexandria, joined the BEF and embarked for France 23.3.1916 per HMT 'Maryland'. He disembarked with his Unit at Marseilles 2.4.1916. There are no records of  where Pollard served on the front, however, the 11th Bn. fought their first major engagement at Pozieres and continued to fight in trench warfare on the Somme. As a Driver, he would have been involved primarily in transpor of supplies, stores and munition etc for the  front line troops. On 10.9.1917, he was transferred  from the 11th Bn. to the Anzac Provost Corps. The criteria for entry to this corps was that this elite group of men had seen active service. The Provost Corps acted as Military Police taking on patrols, reconnaisance and discipline duties (Digger History). They did not serve in the front line. Pollard was allocated to  the Field Punishment Compound duties in France. He took his 1914 leave and returned prior to the end of the war with  transport duties for the return trip to Australia 17.9.1918

Returned/ Embarked Taranto, Italy per HMT 'Kasir-a-Hind ' 24.9.1918 for Suez and embarked per HT 'Devon' from Suez to Australia 13.10.1918
Disembarked Fremantle 31.9.1918
Discharged 25.4.1919
Final Rank Private, Australian Provost Corps
Medical Condition NK
Awards and Medals 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Notes Few soldiers who enlisted in 1914 were able to take this leave in 1918 have been KIA or wounded previously. Pollard was born in Guildford and some of his earlier life in the town.
Photos  Edgar William Pollard. Australia's Fighting Sons of the Empire, Palmer and Ashworth(1922) Facs. Ed. Reproduced with permission of Hesperian Press 2014 p166
              HMAT 'Ascanius' 1914. Photographer E.L. Mitchell, photograph source AWM H16157
              Troops being towed ashore at Gallipoli April 1915. Photographer unknown, photograph source AWM A02781
              'Gibraltar', a damaged German redoubte at Pozieres 1917. Photographer unknown, photograph source AWM E04588

Information Source
Anzac Provost Corps. Digger History http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-discipline/mil-police-ww1.htm
Australia's Fighting Sons of the Empire 1914-1918, Palmer & Ashworth (1922), Facsimile Edition. Published by Hesperian Press, Victoria Park. WA. 2014
AWM H16157. HMAT 'Ascanius' 1914. Photographer E.L. Mitchell, photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM A02781. Troops being towed ashore at Gallipoli April 1915. Photographer unknown, photograph sourced from the  Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM E04588. 'Gibraltar', a damaged German redoubte at Pozieres 1917. Photographer unknown, photograph sourced from the Poictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM Embarkation Roll: Edgar William
NAA: B2455, Pollard E W

Associated Images