MACROBERTS, Andrew Hamilton
| Service Number: | 4409 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 17 September 1915, Geelong, Vic. |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 15th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Branxholme, Victoria, Australia, 1875 |
| Home Town: | Malvern, Stonnington, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Scotch Collge, Ormond College, University of Melbourne |
| Occupation: | Schoolmaster |
| Died: | Malvern, Victoria, Australia, 1 November 1943, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Box Hill General Cemetery, Victoria P-*-0337 |
| Memorials: | Geelong College WW1 Roll of Honour, Newtown All Saints Church Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 17 Sep 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4409, 15th Infantry Battalion, Geelong, Vic. | |
|---|---|---|
| 29 Dec 1915: | Involvement Private, 4409, 15th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '11' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Demosthenes embarkation_ship_number: A64 public_note: '' | |
| 29 Dec 1915: | Embarked Private, 4409, 15th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Demosthenes, Melbourne |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Faithe Jones
“Lieutenant Andrew Hamilton ‘Bully’ MacRoberts #4409
Born at Branxholme Victoria in 1875, the son of James Hamilton and Elizabeth Kirkpatrick) MacRoberts, he was educated at Scotch College and Ormond College, University of Melbourne, where he graduated MA. He began teaching at The Geelong College in 1904, and remained there until he enlisted in the AIF on 25 September 1915 as a private with the 15th Battalion, aged 38.
He embarked for England on 29 December on HMAT A64 Demosthenes and served for some time there before going to France in June 1916. He was there until April 1919, except for time spent in England at an Officer Training School, where he received his commission as a 2nd Lieutenant on 26 September 1917. He was transferred to 60th Battalion on 1 January 1917, serving in the 15th Brigade with a number of other Old Collegians from The Geelong College. He was wounded in action on 8 August 1916.
He was further promoted to Lieutenant on 1 February 1918, then spent three months as an education officer in 1919 before returning to Australia. He embarked on 22 May 1919 on HMT Durham and was demobilised on 10 September.
AH MacRoberts returned to The Geelong College and taught there for many years, serving as Deputy Headmaster from 1923 until he resigned in 1938.
His elder brother James Moore MacRoberts was killed in action on 2 May 1916 near Fleurbaix aged 42 and is buried in Y Farm Military Cemetery, Bois Hrenier France.”
Courtesy of Stephen Yewdall - sourced from Geelong Collegians book
Old Geelong Collegians will be glad to learn that Mr. Andrew Hamilton MacRoberts, M.A., will return to the College at the commencement of the first term next year. Although over military age, Mr MacRoberts enlisted in September, 1915, as a private in the Infantry. When he was wounded in France his wounds were dressed by an old Collegian, who was on duty at one of the Australian first-aid posts. He returned to the firing line, and won a commission in the field, and later was promoted first lieutenant.
Mr MacRoberts joined the teaching staff of the Geelong College in 1904, under the late Mr C. N. Morrison, M.A. At the time of his enlistment he was a senior master, and took a keen interest in public schoul cricket. Prior to 1904 he served on the teaching staffs of the Malvern Grammar School and Warrnambool, College.
For some years before his retirement in 1938 he was vice-principal of the Geelong College and was in charge on two occasions when the Principal Rev. F.W. Rolland ws overseas. Mr. MacRoberts was a keen cricketer and coached the college team for a long period.
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