AGNEW, Roy James (James Royce)
| Service Number: | 768 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 18 August 1914 |
| Last Rank: | Lance Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 7th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Long Gully, Victoria, Australia, December 1894 |
| Home Town: | Eaglehawk, Greater Bendigo, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Electrician/Linesman |
| Memorials: | Eaglehawk Mechanics Institute Roll of Honour, Eaglehawk Presbyterian Sunday School Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 18 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 768, 7th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 19 Oct 1914: | Involvement Private, 768, 7th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '9' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Hororata embarkation_ship_number: A20 public_note: '' | |
| 19 Oct 1914: | Embarked Private, 768, 7th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Hororata, Melbourne | |
| 6 Apr 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 7th Infantry Battalion | |
| 25 Apr 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 768, 7th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli | |
| 8 May 1915: | Wounded AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 768, 7th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli, GSW to right leg sustained at 2nd Krithia. Evacuated to Malta. | |
| 23 Jul 1916: | Discharged AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 768, 7th Infantry Battalion, Medically unfit (acute rheumatism in legs). |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Larna Malone
Roy James Agnew was born in Long Gully, the son of William Francis & Grace Agnew, of Church Street, Eaglehawk. When he volunteered for service he was 19 years & 9 months old, worked as an Electrician / Linesman at the electric power-house, and had previous military service in the 67th Infantry CMF.
He was amongst the early volunteers for the WW1 Expeditionary Force, enlisting on 18.8.14. The following day he left Bendigo for the Broadmeadows Camp. He was allotted Service no. 768, appointed to ‘G’ Company, 7th Battalion, and attached to the signalling corps.
Prior to embarkation he was presented with a case of Pipes and a tobacco pouch from the members of the Eaglehawk Borough Council, and a Gillett Safety razor from the members of the Presbyterian Church and Sunday School. He received an additional memento from the Borough of Eaglehawk (Pocket wallet, wristlet watch, or shaving outfit).
The 7th Battalion left Broadmeadows Camp on 18 October, 1914, and embarked for service overseas on board HMAT ‘Hororata’. Arriving in Egypt the battalion moved into camp at Mena, at the foot of the pyramids. (6/12/14)
In January, 1915, the Australian force was re-organized. In the 7th Battalion ‘G’ and ‘H’ Companies joined to form the new ‘D’ Company. This meant that all the men from Northern Victoria were together in one Company. Roy James Agnew was promoted to Lance Corporal (prov.) on 6/4/15.
The 7th Battalion was part of the force which landed at Anzac Cove on 25th April, 1915, and sustained heavy casualties. In May, Lieut.-General Sir W.R. Birdwood, in command of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, was asked to provide part of the Australian force to assist in a British offensive at Cape Helles. The 2nd Australian Brigade, which included the 7th Battalion, was one of two brigades provided. The 7th Battalion left Anzac and disembarked at ‘V’ Beach, Cape Helles, on May 6th. The battalion moved forward on May 8th in what was later known as the “2nd Battle of Krithia” (8-11 May). This battle achieved minimal gain and casualties were extremely high.
Roy James Agnew was Wounded (8-11/5/1915), sustaining a Bullet wound to his right leg. He RTA Medically Unfit on 11/5/16.
“The First Lot. 7th Battalion. The first men of the Bendigo district to volunteer for service in the First World War.”: Larna Malone
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