TAIT, Robert Edmund
| Service Number: | 28327 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 24 May 1916, Melbourne, Vic, Australia |
| Last Rank: | Bombardier |
| Last Unit: | 12th Field Artillery Brigade |
| Born: | Geelong, Victoria, Australia, March 1892 |
| Home Town: | Toorak, Stonnington, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Watchmaker |
| Died: | Died of Illnesses; 1-Influenza; 2-Pneumonia, Graylingwell Military Hospital - Chichester, Sussex, England, United Kingdom, 4 November 1918 |
| Cemetery: |
Chichester Cemetery, Sussex, England |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Ballarat Barkly Street Uniting Church Memorial Window |
World War 1 Service
| 24 May 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Gunner, 28327, 4th Field Artillery Brigade, Melbourne, Vic, Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Oct 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Gunner, 28327, 4th Field Artillery Brigade, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '3' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ulysses embarkation_ship_number: A38 public_note: '' | |
| 25 Oct 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Gunner, 28327, 4th Field Artillery Brigade, HMAT Ulysses, Melbourne | |
| 5 Jun 1917: | Transferred AIF WW1, Gunner, 12th Field Artillery Brigade , (NAA, Pg's-4, 10) | |
| 23 May 1918: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Bombardier, 12th Field Artillery Brigade , (NAA, Pg-4) | |
| 23 Jul 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Bombardier, 28327, 12th Field Artillery Brigade , --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 28327 awm_unit: 47th Battery 12th Australian Field Artillery Brigade awm_rank: Bombardier awm_died_date: 1918-11-04 | |
| 23 Jul 1918: | Promoted AIF WW1, Bombardier, 12th Field Artillery Brigade , (NAA, Pg-10) |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Evan Evans
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland
Died on this date – 4th November…… Robert Edmund Tait was born at Geelong, Victoria in 1892.
He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 24th May, 1916 as a 24 year old, single, Watchmaker & Jeweller from Toorak, Victoria.
Gunner Robert Edmund Tait, Service number 28327, embarked from Melbourne, Victoria on HMAT Ulysses (A38) on 25th October, 1916 with the 4th Field Artillery Brigade, 10th Reinforcements & disembarked at Plymouth, England on 28th December, 1916.
Reinforcements were only given basic training in Australia. Training was completed in training units in England. Some of these were located in the Salisbury Plain & surrounding areas in the county of Wiltshire.
He was marched in to R.B.A.A. (Reserve Brigade Australian Artillery), No. 4 Camp at Larkhill, Wiltshire, England on 29th December, 1916.
On 22nd May, 1917 Gunner Tait proceeded overseas to France on 22nd May, 1917 from R.B.A.A. (Reserve Brigade Australian Artillery) at Larkhill. He was marched in to A.G.B.D. (Australian General Base Depot) at Rouelles, France on 23rd May, 1917 from England. He was marched out to 12th F.A.B. (Field Artillery Brigade) on 2nd June, 1917 & was taken on strength and posted to 47th Battery in Belgium on 5th June, 1917.
Gunner Tait was written up for an Offence in the Field on 24th June, 1917 – “Neglect to the prejudice of good order & Military discipline in that he in the field on 24.6.17 being a member of a day stable piquet did allow a horse to stray from the lines during his tour of duty.” He was awarded 3 days Field Punishment No. 2.
He was on leave to UK from 4th November, 1917 & rejoined from leave on 20th November, 1917.
On 23rd May, 1918 Gunner Robert Edmund Tait was appointed as Acting Bombardier.
Acting Bombardier Robert Edmund Tait was reported to be with his Unit in France on 23rd June, 1918.
He was promoted to Temporary Bombardier on 15th August, 1918 vice A. J. Elliott evacuated.
Temporary Bombardier Robert Edmund Tait was wounded in action on 22nd October, 1918. He was admitted to 58th Casualty Clearing Station on 22nd October, 1918 having been Gassed. His rank reverted to Acting Bombardier on being evacuated wounded on 22nd October, 1918. Acting Bombardier Tait was transferred & admitted to 5th General Hospital at Rouen, France on 26th October, 1918. He was transferred & embarked for England on 29th October, 1918.
On 30th October, 1918 Acting Bombardier Tait was admitted to Graylingwell War Hospital, Chichester, England with gas poisoning. He later developed Influenza & Pneumonia.
Bombardier Robert Edmund Tait died at 7.15 am on 4th November, 1918 at Graylingwell War Hospital, Chichester, Sussex, England from wounds – gas poisoning then pneumonia following influenza & cardiac failure.
He was buried in Chichester Cemetery, Chichester, West Sussex, England where 10 other WW1 Australian War Graves are located.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/chichester.html
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