SAMUELS, Robert Oswald
| Service Numbers: | 192, 4310 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 27 July 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 1st Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia, 10 December 1886 |
| Home Town: | Dubbo, Dubbo Municipality, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Dubbo Public School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Mechanical engineer |
| Died: | Killed In Action, France, 9 August 1918, aged 31 years |
| Cemetery: |
Adelaide Cemetery Villers-Bretonneux, France Plot III, Row F, Grave No. 3 |
| Memorials: | Dubbo Memorial Drive & Rose Garden, Narromine War Memorial |
Boer War Service
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Trooper, 192, 5th Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse |
|---|
World War 1 Service
| 27 Jul 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4310, 1st Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Dec 1915: | Involvement Private, 4310, 1st Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Aeneas embarkation_ship_number: A60 public_note: '' | |
| 20 Dec 1915: | Embarked Private, 4310, 1st Infantry Battalion, HMAT Aeneas, Sydney | |
| 9 Aug 1918: | Involvement Lieutenant, 1st Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: awm_unit: 1 Battalion awm_rank: Lieutenant awm_died_date: 1918-08-09 |
Help us honour Robert Oswald Samuels's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Sharyn Roberts
Robert Oswald Leopold SAMUELS, the youngest child of Joseph George SAMUELS and his wife Elizabeth (nee NEAL)
Biography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Brother to 4315 Lance Corporal A.E. Samuels 54th Battalion AIF killed in action at Fromelles 20 July 1916.
Robert had served with the 5th Battalion Australian Commonwealth Horse, for the Boer War, which embarked on transport from Sydney, on 22nd May, 1902, and disembarked on 18th June 1902, at Durban. They had no chance of displaying their capabilities, the war having ended before its arrival, and returned to Australia later the same year. Robert would have only been 15 years of age at the time.
Robert ‘Rol’ Oswald Samuels was 29 years of age when he enlisted, at the same time as his brother Albert Ernest Samuels, who was 35. They were both in the 1st Battalion but transferred to the 54th Battalion in Egypt during February 1916.
Robert survived Fromelles and wrote home to his family regarding his brother’s death during the battle. He was promoted to Lieutenant by 1918 and was killed in action by a machine gun when patrolling near Rosieres. His mother stated on his Roll of Honour circular that ‘he gave up as very remunerative position as Engineer in South Argentine, South America to come back to Australia and enlist.’ In his Red Cross Wounded and Missing file, one Private said ‘Lieutenant Samuels was absolutely idolised by his men and many a boy shed a tear when they heard that he had been killed.’ Another said that he was ‘a great favourite with us all, and we missed him very much.’ Another said ‘he was a very fine officer.’