Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Robert Mayman was born in January 1894 in London, UK, and lived in Brisbane, Queensland. He worked as a farm labourer and lived alone. Robert’s religion was Church of England and he was not married. He had a sister called Alice Fuller who lived in Islington, London, UK and a father called Robert Albert Mayman, who worked as a picture frame maker. Before enlisting in WWI, Robert served 1 ½ years in the 21st London Regiment in the 1st Surrey Rifles. He was 21 years and seven months when he enlisted and was 5 foot 3 ¾ inches. Robert weighed around 49 pounds or 22.5 kg and was of dark complexion with brown eyes and brown hair. He also had a distinctive mark over his right eye.

On the 16th of August 1915, Robert Mayman enlisted in Linmore, NSW. He enlisted as a private with the 11th Reinforcements in the 2nd Light Horse Regiment. On the 4th of October 1915, he travelled to Egypt on the HMAT A47 Mashobra. On the 14th of January 1916, he was at Wardan, a place near Cairo, Egypt. Robert’s first job as a private was to protect the Nile Valley from pro-Turkish Senussi Arabs. On the 8th of April, he became severely sick and was sent to Assuit, on the Nile. On the 2nd of May, he was sent back to duty in Sohag, more south along the Nile. On the 11th of May, Robert became slightly sick and was sent to Assuit, returning to duty on the 17th. On the 18th of May, he and his regiment started defending the Suez Canal. On the 14th of August, Robert and his regiment played a large role in the Battle of Romani, helping to push back the Turks. On the 29th of October, he was attached to the Australian Training Centre and Details Camp and stayed in Moascar. On the 3rd of July 1917, Robert was taken on strength and became part of the 4th Light Horse Field Ambulance in Moascar. On the 17th of August, he was attached to the Camel Brigade Field Ambulance in Abbassia. On the 16th of October, Robert got his wisdom tooth extracted and returned to duty on the 18th. On the 25th of February 1918, he was attached to the 14th Australian General Hospital in Port Said. He travelled to and from Rafa and Abbassia and later left for England on the H.T. Caledonia from Port Said. Robert did not get promoted and or wounded.

On the 1st of May, after the war ended, Robert Mayman travelled to England, where most of his family lived. He lived at 11 Culross Road, West Green, Middlesex and became a printer. On the 9th of June 1919, Robert married Kathleen Ada Davis (now Mayman) who lived at 13 Culross Road, West Green. On the 9th of August, he and his wife sailed back to Australia on the H.T. Ceramic, and he was discharged from the Australian Imperial Force on the 5th of October. Robert and his wife lived at 227 Parade, Norwood, South Australia. He had a child whose initials are K. S. Smith (nèe Mayman), who lived in Aldinga, South Australia.

Robert Mayman, was a very skilled and brave man. He was very skilled both in the field and out of the field. He was a very good shooter and also had some medical experience, seeing as he was in the 4th Light Horse Field Ambulance as well as the 14th Australian General Hospital. He fought proudly for Australia, England and the Commonwealth. Robert Mayman was a very good man, and his descendants should be proud.

Bibliography

AIF Project n.d., Robert Mayman, UNSW, Canberra, accessed 27 March 2017, https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=192319

Australian War Memorial n.d., First World War Embarkation Rolls: Robert Mayman, Australian Government, Canberra, accessed 27 March 2017, https://www.awm.gov.au/people/rolls/R2025391/

Australian War Memorial n.d., 2nd Australian Light Horse Regiment, Australian Government, Canberra, accessed 27 March 2017, https://www.awm.gov.au/unit/U51036/

National Archives of Australia 2004, Robert Mayman, Australian Government, Canberra, accessed 27 March 2017, https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/NameSearch/Interface/ItemDetail.aspx?Barcode=8215983

2nd Australian Light Horse Regiment Embarkation Roll, 11th Reinforcements 2006, Australian Light Horse Research, accessed 27 March 2017, http://alh-research.tripod.com/Light_Horse/index.blog/1959003/2nd-australian-light-horse-regiment-embarkation-roll-11th-reinforcements/

‘Robert Mayman Records’ 2004, in Robert Mayman Records, accessed 27 March 2017, National Archives of Australia, Australian Government.

Robert Mayman

Born: 31 January 1894, Walworth / Newington district, Southwark, London, England

Died: 19 May 1943, Walkerville, South Australia

Occupation: Labourer; later civilian employment in South Australia

Religion: Church of England

Early life (England)

Robert Mayman was born on 31 January 1894 in the Walworth–Newington area of Southwark, London, the son of Robert Mayman and Adine (Adine/Adine) Mayman. His exact date of birth is confirmed by School Board for London admission records, which explicitly record his birth date when he entered Sandford Row School on 7 October 1903, aged nine.

Robert grew up in a large working-class household in Walworth. He appears with his parents and siblings in both the 1901 and 1911 England census returns, consistently showing a birth year of 1894 and birthplace Walworth. By 1911, aged 17, he was recorded as a printer, living with his family at 80 Trafalgar Street, Walworth.

Migration to Australia

At the age of 19, Robert left England and arrived in Sydney, New South Wales, on 26 May 1913, travelling aboard the Benalla. On the passenger list, his occupation was recorded as storekeeper. He settled initially in New South Wales before the outbreak of the First World War.

First World War Service

On 16 August 1915, Robert enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force at Liverpool, New South Wales, joining as Private, Service Number 1446. At enlistment, he was recorded as single, born in London, England, and working as a labourer. His next of kin was named as his sister, Alice Fuller, of Islington, London.

Robert embarked from Sydney aboard HMAT A47 Mashobra on 4 October 1915, serving overseas primarily in Egypt and the Middle East. His service included periods attached to Light Horse and medical units, including field ambulance formations. He was not promoted and was not wounded, but his record reflects sustained service under difficult conditions.

Following the end of the war, Robert travelled to England, where he married Kathleen Ada Davis on 9 June 1919 at Christ Church, West Green, Haringey. The marriage record again names his father as Robert Albert Mayman, independently confirming his parentage. Robert subsequently returned to Australia aboard H.T. Ceramic, arriving on 9 August 1919, and was formally discharged from the AIF on 15 October 1919.

Family Life

Robert and Kathleen settled in Norwood, South Australia, where they raised a young family. Their children were:

Kathleen Alice Mayman (born 1920)
Dorothy May Mayman (born 1922)
Robert Wilfred Mayman (born 1923)
Tragically, Kathleen Ada Mayman died on 8 June 1926, aged only 26–27, leaving Robert a widower with three small children.

Later that same year, on 20 November 1926, Robert married Ethel Charlotte Susannah Wakefield at the Methodist Church, Walkerville, South Australia. The marriage record confirms Robert's status as a widower and again names his father as Robert Albert Mayman. Robert and Ethel had one son:

Albert Arnold Mayman (born 1927)

Death and Burial

Robert Mayman died on 19 May 1943 at Walkerville, South Australia, aged 49. He was buried at Centennial Park Cemetery, Pasadena, in Acacia Section, Path E, Site 2660. The interment right for this grave was purchased shortly after his death and later expired in 1993. His second wife, Ethel Charlotte Susannah Oates (née Wakefield), was later buried in the same grave following her death in 1978.

Legacy

Robert Mayman's life reflects the story of many early twentieth-century migrants: born in England, shaped by working-class London life, tested by war service overseas, and ultimately rooted in South Australia. His First World War service, family resilience following loss, and contribution as a settler and father form a lasting part of the Mayman family history.

Sources – Main Biography

Robert Mayman (1894–1943)

Civil Registration & Vital Records

South Australia Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM) Indexes
Birth registrations of children:
Kathleen Alice Mayman (1920), Dorothy May Mayman (1922), Robert Wilfred Mayman (1923), Albert Arnold Mayman (1927)
Death registration:
Robert Mayman, died 19 May 1943, Walkerville, South Australia
Marriage registrations:
Robert Mayman & Kathleen Ada Davis, 9 June 1919
Robert Mayman & Ethel Charlotte Susannah Wakefield, 20 November 1926
England & Wales Civil Registration Indexes
Birth registration of Robert Mayman, Southwark Registration District, 1894

Census Records

1901 Census of England and Wales
Household of Robert and Adine Mayman, Newington / Walworth, London
Confirms Robert Mayman as son, aged 7, birthplace London
1911 Census of England and Wales
Address: 80 Trafalgar Street, Walworth
Robert Mayman recorded as son, aged 17
Occupation: Printer
Birthplace: Walworth, London

Immigration & Travel

New South Wales Passenger Arrival Records
Ship: Benalla
Arrival: Sydney, 26 May 1913
Passenger: Robert Mayman, age 19
Birthplace: England
Occupation: Storekeeper

Marriage & Church Records

Parish Register – Christ Church, West Green, Haringey, England
Marriage of Robert Mayman and Kathleen Ada Davis, 9 June 1919
Methodist Church Records – Walkerville, South Australia
Marriage of Robert Mayman and Ethel Charlotte Susannah Wakefield, 20 November 1926

Cemetery & Burial Records

Centennial Park Cemetery – Burial & Interment Rights Register
Interment Right No. 844, Acacia / Path E / Site 2660
Purchase date: 21 May 1943
Associated with Robert Mayman and later Ethel Charlotte Susanah Oates
Status: Reclaimed / expired 1993
West Terrace Cemetery Burial Register
Burial of Kathleen Ada Mayman (née Davis), died 8 June 1926

Education Records

London School Board Admission Registers
Sandford Row School
Mina Road School
Entries confirming Robert Mayman's birth date, residence, and parentage

Notes on Method

No parentage beyond Robert Albert Mayman has been asserted without documentary proof.
All dates, places, and relationships listed above are supported by indexed or imaged primary records.
Unconfirmed associations and speculative burials have been intentionally excluded pending further evidence.

∼War Service Biography

Robert Mayman

Service Number: 1446

Rank: Private

Unit: 2nd Light Horse Regiment, 11th Reinforcements

Later Posting (Nominal Roll): 1st Light Horse Regiment

Service: Australian Imperial Force

War: First World War

Robert Mayman enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 16 August 1915, at the age of 21, during the height of Australia's early war commitment. At the time of his enlistment, Robert stated that he was born in London, England, was of the Church of England faith, and was employed as a labourer. He was recorded as single, with his next of kin listed as his sister, Alice Fuller, residing at 3 Arlington Street, Islington, London.

Robert was allocated service number 1446 and was posted to the 2nd Light Horse Regiment, 11th Reinforcements. He embarked for overseas service from Sydney, New South Wales, aboard HMAT A47 Mashobra on 4 October 1915, joining one of the mounted units that would form a significant part of Australia's campaign in the Middle East.

Following his arrival in the Egyptian theatre, Robert underwent further training and acclimatisation under desert conditions. Service records indicate that he was stationed at various locations along the Nile Valley, where Australian Light Horse units were tasked with defensive duties, including the protection of key supply routes and strategic infrastructure during the early stages of the campaign.

During his service, Robert experienced periods of illness, which required temporary hospitalisation. These episodes are recorded in his service and casualty documentation but do not indicate any permanent disability or combat wounds. After recovery, he was returned to duty, continuing to serve with Light Horse formations operating in Egypt and the surrounding regions.

Robert later served in a support and medical capacity, including attachment to field ambulance units. This included service with formations such as the 4th Light Horse Field Ambulance and the Camel Brigade Field Ambulance, reflecting the operational flexibility required of experienced soldiers as the campaign evolved. These roles involved the evacuation and care of wounded personnel under demanding conditions.

By 1918, Robert's service record shows movement between medical units and depots, including postings connected with general hospitals and transport duties. His service concluded without promotion, and he retained the rank of Private throughout his enlistment.

Following the end of hostilities, Robert returned to England briefly before making his way back to Australia. He was officially returned to Australia on 9 August 1919, travelling with his wife. He was discharged from the Australian Imperial Force shortly, thereafter, having completed four years of wartime service.

For his service during the Great War, Robert Mayman was entitled to and issued the standard campaign medals:

1914–1915 Star
British War Medal
Victory Medal

Robert Mayman's military record reflects the experience of many early volunteers—marked not by battlefield decoration, but by endurance, adaptability, and sustained service across multiple roles during a prolonged and challenging campaign. His contribution forms part of the broader story of Australia's Light Horsemen and their role in the Middle Eastern theatre of the First World War.

Notes on Evidence

This narrative is derived from:

Australian Imperial Force service dossier (NAA: B2455, MAYMAN Robert)
Embarkation Rolls and Nominal Rolls
Medal entitlement stamps and discharge annotations
Corroborating civilian records confirming identity and chronology

Biography by Trevor Pyatt 49836940 - New updated Bio 10/02/2026