Robert Percy (Percy) BALMAIN

BALMAIN, Robert Percy

Service Numbers: 1536, W242974
Enlisted: 13 July 1915, Melbourne, Victoria
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: Australian Army Provost Corps (WW2)
Born: Beremboke, Victoria, 16 January 1893
Home Town: Mildura, Mildura Shire, Victoria
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Mechanical Engineer
Memorials: Mildura Cenotaph
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World War 1 Service

13 Jul 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1536, Melbourne, Victoria
10 Nov 1915: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 1536, 8th Light Horse Regiment, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '2' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ascanius embarkation_ship_number: A11 public_note: ''
10 Nov 1915: Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 1536, 8th Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Ascanius, Melbourne
24 Jan 1917: Discharged AIF WW1, Trooper, 1536, 8th Light Horse Regiment

World War 2 Service

10 Oct 1939: Enlisted Private, W242974, Subiaco, Western Australia
10 Oct 1939: Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, W242974
19 May 1940: Discharged Private, W242974, Australian Army Provost Corps (WW2)

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Biography contributed by Bernard Terry

Robert Percy Balmain, son to Herbert Balmain of 8th street Mildura.

Enlisted 15 July 1915, 8th Light Horse Regiment 12th Reinforcement.

Brother to 2564 Pte. Ivor Balmain (/explore/people/59155) from 7th Battalion Reg No:2564 who was Killed in action 11 Dec 1916 at Villers-Bretteneux.

Both brothers also related to Major Percy Charles Herbert Black (/explore/people/313513), Killed in Action on 11 Apr 1917 at Bullecourt.

Robert Percy Balmain after discharge travelled quite a bit suffering from his illness that was responsible for his discharge.

He met and married Irene May Byrne in 1920, and together they had 3 children, the first born male was Ivor Balmain in memory of his brother.

VX140757 Pte. Ivor Clarence Balmain (/explore/people/799625) also served in the Australian Army during WW2.

Two other children Mavis Bliss nee Balmain & Nola Terry Nee Balmain.     

My Grandfather Robert Percy Balmain was usually just known as Percy and was a Private in WW1 and a Sargent in WW2. Due to his illness he was again discharged from the Army after only 1 year of service in WW2. He suffered badly from Asthma and his worst illness was "Service" related but contracted while in the Middle East. 

Post WW2 he was successfully treated for the disease and was always off looking for Gold in WA as did Percy Black and I guess most of the boys back then as they did everything together. My mother told me he also got a job putting power poles & lines in and he was rarely ever at home, consequently mum has little memory of him. He never came home and his final resting place remains unknown, which is sad and makes it difficult to pay adequate tribute to my early family that helped to create this great country of ours.

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