Lewis Roberts

Submitted by Mt Kembla Minin... on Mon, 21/09/2015 - 10:34

First Name:

Lewis

Last Name:

Roberts

Mother's Name:

Mary Roberts

Father's Name:

Lewis Roberts

Date Enlisted:

Friday, April 9, 1915

Rank at Enlistment:

Private

Rank at Discharge:

Sapper

Unit:

20th Battalion

Company:

Service:

Infantry

Awards:

1914/1915 Star

British War Medal

Victory Medal

Date of Death:

Tuesday, February 11, 1919

Place of Death:

England

Cause of Death:

Broncho-pneumonia

Details:

Lewis Roberts (Service No 263) was born in Bulli, N.S.W. around 1889.

When Lewis enlisted he was a single 26 year old coal miner. He lived at Thirroul, N.S.W and had served 4 years in the Militia.

Lewis' parents were deceased and he named his brother Robert as his next of kin.

He embarked from Sydney on board HMAT A35 Berrima with ACompany, 20th Battalion on 25th June 1915 leaving behind a girlfriend, Blanche Symons, who corresponded with the AIF after Lewis' death.

Lewis arrived in Egypt and was sent to Gallipoli, arriving there on 16th August. He returned to Egypt after the evacuation, and on 11th March 1916 was transferred to 5th Field Engineers.

Lewis served in France and on the Western Front. On 12th February 1917 he was admitted to hospital with mumps, not returning to his unit till May 1917.

On 5th January 1918 Lewis was again admitted to hospital, this time in Belgium, due to illness, and returned to his unit on 9th January.

Lewis served until the end of the war, but back in England he was admitted to hospital where he died from pneumonia, following influenza, on 11th February 1919.

He was buried with full Military Honours in Povant (St George) Churchyard, Wiltshire: Plot I, Row A, Grave 5 Wiltshire.

Sources:

NAA: B2455, ROBERTS LEWIS