Virtual War Memorial | Robert Roy GENNOE MM

Robert Roy GENNOE MM Update Details

If you confirm that you want to proceed with the update, this record will be locked for editing by all other users until you have finished. You will have 7 days to complete your changes before they will be automatically submitted.

Do you want to proceed?

GENNOE, Robert Roy

Service Number:	1063
Enlisted:	21 October 1914, Place of enlistment - Blackboy Hill, Western Australia
Last Rank:	Private
Last Unit:	11th Infantry Battalion
Born:	Moonta, South Australia, 1891
Home Town:	Midland, Swan, Western Australia
Schooling:	Not yet discovered
Occupation:	Barber
Died:	Killed in Action, France, 6 April 1917
Cemetery:	Morchies Australian Cemetery Row B, Grave 5, Morchies Australian Cemetery, Morchies, Arras, Nord Pas de Calais, France
Memorials:	Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Midland WW1 Clock Tower & Town Hall Memorial, Western Australia State War Memorial

World War 1 Service

21 Oct 1914:	Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1063, 11th Infantry Battalion, Place of enlistment - Blackboy Hill, Western Australia
2 Nov 1914:	Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 1063, 11th Infantry Battalion, Embarked on HMAT 'A11' Ascanius from Fremantle on 2nd November 1914, disembarking Egypt
2 Mar 1915:	Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 1063, 11th Infantry Battalion, Embarked on HMT Suffolk from Alexandria, Egypt on 2nd March 1915, disembarking Gallipoli to join Mediterranean Expeditionary Forces. Disembarked Alexandria, Egypt on HMT Lake Michigan from Gallipoli 6th January 1916. Embarked on HT Kingstonian from Alexandria, Egypt on 27th March 1916, disembarking Marseilles, France to join British Expeditionary Forces.
4 Oct 1916:	Honoured Military Medal, "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. During the operations of 23/25th July 1916 which culminated in the capture of POZIERES he was employed as a runner and conveyed important messages over very broken ground to all parts of the front line. He was frequently exposed to heavy shell fire and on many occasions had to penetrate hostile artillery barrage. The messages were delivered with the utmost despatch. He showed a fine devotion to duty." The Military Medal was awarded to three Privates simultaneously - 2132 Private William George ELIAS 1063 Private Robert Roy GENNOE 2146 Private Gilbert Arthur HEASMAN
6 Apr 1917:	Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 1063, 11th Infantry Battalion, Red Cross report from 258 Private J.J. Ryan - "I knew Pte. Gennoe in civilian life. He was a barber at Midland Junction W.A. and an original man. He was at the time of his death in charge of the Battalion Runners - who were billeted in stables behind a brick wall at an angle of a road in Morchies. Fritz sent over 3 shells in succession and 1 struck this brick wall which fell in, killing 9 men and wounding 8, Pte. Gennoe was asleep in the shed by himself at the time and was killed instantaneously, being terribly mutilated by the shell. The 9 men were all buried in 1 grave just outside Morchies and a cross bearing their names was erected by he Battalion as soon as possible. The spot was on the main Bapaume Cambrai road where it branches off to the left outside Morchies, and on the right hand side"

Help us honour Robert Roy Gennoe's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.