Robert Bruce Stewart

Robert Bruce Stewart (Service No 5764) was born in Wollongong, N.S.W.

At enlistment he was 20 years old, single, worked as a carpenter, lived in Woonona, N.S.W., and had served 2 years with the Cadets.

Robert embarked on HMAT A46 Clan Macgillivray, with 13th Battalion, 18th Reinforcements on 3rd May 1916. He arrived in England and joined 13th Battalion, D Company in France, in October 1916. Robert saw service on the Western Front until 11th April 1917 when he was wounded in action and taken prisoner. Robert was listed as killed in action, and his family were advised to place a notice in the local papers.

Robert had been fighting at Bullecourt, France, in nightmare conditions, the battle had been postponed due to the weather conditions for 24 hours. The troops laid in no mans land in ice and snow for hours before the attack and when the attack began Robert received a gun shot wound to his right arm. He was sent to Soldau Camp where he remained until the war ended. Robert was repatriated to England on 26th December 1918. He was returned to Australia in April 1919, and discharged medically unfit on 30th June 1919.

In 1925, Robert married Rhodah Bowyer in Bulli, N.S.W.

He enlisted for service in WW2 in Wollongong, N.S.W., on 16th May 1942 and served as Corporal Stewart (Service No N339521) with the 12th Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps. He was discharged on 30th September 1945.

Robert died in 1971 and is commemorated for his service on the Bulli Woonona War Memorial.