ROBERTSON, Harry
| Service Number: | 2226 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 25 January 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 55th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia, 1896 |
| Home Town: | Queanbeyan, Queanbeyan, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Queanbeyan Public School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 2 April 1917 |
| Cemetery: |
Lebucquiere Communal Cemetery Extension |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Queanbeyan Fallen Soldiers War Memorial, Queanbeyan Presbyterian Parish Queanbeyan-Canberra Roll of Honour, Queanbeyan Public School Great War Roll of Honor |
World War 1 Service
| 25 Jan 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2226, 55th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 4 Sep 1916: | Involvement Private, 2226, 55th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '19' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Port Sydney embarkation_ship_number: A15 public_note: '' | |
| 4 Sep 1916: | Embarked Private, 2226, 55th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Port Sydney, Sydney |
Henry (Harry) Robertson
Harry Robertson was born in Queanbeyan in 1896, the eldest son of Edwrd and Elizabeth Robinson. He grew up at "The Oaks" Queanbeyan and attended Queanbeyan Public School, and was a member of the Sunday School at St Stephens Presbyterian Church.
In January 1916, at the age of 19, Harry Robertson travelled to Goulburn and enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force, under the name Henry Robertson. Also known by the nickname “Bruiser”, he was allotted to reinforcements for the 55th Battalion, which had recently been raised in Egypt as part of the “doubling” of the AIF that took place after the failed Gallipoli campaign.
He embarked for service on 4 September 1916, landing in Plymouth late the following month. On 14 December, he continued on to France, joining his unit on the 23rd. The 55th Battalion had fought its first major battle at Fromelles in July. The battle was a disaster, resulting in heavy casualties.
After a freezing winter manning trenches in the Somme Valley, in early 1917 the 55th Battalion participated in the advance that followed the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line.
On 1 April, the battalion prepared to attack the village of Doignies. At midnight it was in position on Sunken Road, resting until 4.25 am, when Robertson and his unit moved forward to the jumping off point. A few minutes later, the men began moving forward. Three companies advanced, following the 56th Battalion, with Private Robertson in the middle company. At about 5.20 am, the company on Robertson’s right disturbed a dog, which began barking and gave the alarm. Rifle and machine-gun fire started coming from a nearby Beetroot Factory and trenches in the area. As the advance continued, rifle and machine-gun fire came heavily from the village, along with the beginning of intermittent artillery fire.
The village was captured by sunrise on 2 April, but the enemy shelled the battalion’s new positions throughout the day. A number of Military Medals, and Military Crosses were awarded to men of the battalion for their action during the attack. But Harry Robertson would not be among them. He had been killed in action during the attack.
His remains were buried nearby at Lebucquiere Communal Cemetery Extension.
He was 20 years old.
Submitted 17 July 2022 by Lynette Turner
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