Born in Ryde, Sydney on the 3rd of February 1892 to John and Eliza (nee Godkin), Robert was the eldest of 4 children.
Described as a locomotive engine cleaner, Robert married Georgina Buttenshaw in 1913. The couple resided at 30 Church Street, Wickham in Newcastle and had a daughter, Mary who was born in Newcastle in 1914.
Robert enlisted at Town Hall, Sydney with the 9th Reinforcements, 17th Battalion on the 18th of October 1915, aged 23 years and 8 months. After initial training the 9th Reinforcements boarded the ‘HMAT A54 Runic’ at Sydney on the 20th of January 1916 bound for Egypt.
Embarking on the ‘HT Oriania’ at Alexandria on the 21st of March 1916 the 9th Reinforcements disembarked Marseilles on the 27th. Two days later he was taken on strength at the 2nd ADBD at Etaples. On the 16th of May, with a new service number (3958A) Robert was taken on strength with the 20th Battalion near Pozières, where the battalion had taken up position in the trenches in April. The Battle of Pozières commenced on the 23rd of July and the battalion took part in the offensive from then through August. On the 26th of July 1916 Robert reported to the 2nd Field Ambulance suffering shell shock and was admitted to the 3rd Casualty Clearing Station. He was moved to the 3rd Canadian General Hospital the next day with hermal ringing. He was discharged on the 16th of August and taken on strength again at the 2nd ADBD, Etaples on the 18th only to be admitted to the 26th General Hospital, Hydrocels the next day. On the 13th of September he was transferred to the 6th Convalescent Depot (CD), and moved to the 5th CD, Cayeux on the 20th of September. On the 4th of March 1917 he was again moved back to the 6th CD to be discharged to march in to the 2nd ADBD, however on the 6th he was again admitted to the 26th General Hospital suffering Neurasthenia before returning to the 6th CD on the 12th of March. On the 14th he marched in to the 2nd ADBD again and on the 3rd of April marched out to rejoin his unit on the 5th, which with the addition of ‘A’ to his service number was the 20th Battalion.
At Lagnicourt, on 15 April, along with other units from the 5th Brigade, Robert’s battalion took part in a defensive action along with four other battalions, where they managed to defeat a counterattack by a German force almost five times its size. Throughout the remainder of 1917 the 20th Battalion was involved in three major battles as the German Army was forced back towards the Hindenburg Line, seeing action at Bullecourt in May, Menin Road in September and Poelcappelle in October.
In 1918, the battalion was involved in repelling the German spring offensive, when the 20th was one of many Australian battalions that were hurried in to the line to stop it. On the 4th of March 1918 he reported to the 5th Australian Field Ambulance Belgium suffering Gingivitis (a gum disease) and was returned to duty with his unit on the 18th of March.
The battle for Hangard Wood, which started at dawn on the 7th of April, continued back and forth for days and involved hard and fierce hand-to-hand combat, gas attacks and even tanks. When the 19th and 20th Australian Battalions arrived on the slopes above the gully, the valley was being shelled, and it was again, at first, uncertain where the posts had been established. Two days later, on the evening of the 9th of April, Germans penetrated the nearby Hangard village and captured the cemetery east of it. They were in turn thrown out by a French counterattack but on the 12th of April the Germans began a heavy bombardment of the village and the hill to the north.
During the bombardment Robert was ‘Wounded in Action’ on the 12th of April and taken to the 55th Field Ambulance and transferred to the 41st Casualty Clearing Station suffering a shell wound to the abdomen. Sadly, he died the next day aged 26 years. He was buried by the Reverend T.T. Patterson.
His personal effects returned to Georgina were Mirror, Scissors, 4 Badges, Razor, Metal Cigatette Cases, Wallet, letters, cards, Photos, Disc, Ear Ring, Medallion, Souvenir paper knife.
In 1919 Georgina’s marriage to Francis Williams was registered at Bulli and she and Mary moved to Borrisoleigh, Main Road, Woonona around the 24th of May.
