Thomas ROBERTS

ROBERTS, Thomas

Service Number: 2184
Enlisted: Not yet discovered
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 3rd Infantry Battalion
Born: Denbigh, Denbigshire, Wales , 28 May 1882
Home Town: Not yet discovered
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Carpenter
Died: District of St. Asaph, Denbighshire, Wales., 23 March 1921, aged 38 years, cause of death not yet discovered
Cemetery: Whitchurch (St. Marcella) Churchyard, Denbighshire, Wales
Has a Private Headstone
Memorials:
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World War 1 Service

16 Jun 1915: Involvement Private, 2184, 3rd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Karoola embarkation_ship_number: A63 public_note: ''
16 Jun 1915: Embarked Private, 2184, 3rd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Karoola, Sydney

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Biography contributed by Cathy Sedgwick

The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland”

Died on this date – 23rd March…… Thomas Lloyd Roberts was born at Denbigh, Denbigshire, Wales on 28th May, 1882.

He married Elizabeth Hughes, aged 23, on 20th August, 1903 in the Parish Church of Llangwyfan, in the district of Ruthin, Denbighshire, Wales.

On 22nd April, 1915 Thomas Roberts enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) at Liverpool, Sydney, NSW as a 34 year old, married (with 4 children), Carpenter. His next of kin was listed as his wife – Mrs Elizabeth Roberts, care of Railway Hotel, Denbigh, North Wales, England.

He was charged with being drunk & using obscene language at 9 am on 18th May, 1915 at Oxford Street, Sydney & was fined 30/-.

Private Thomas Roberts, Service number 2184, embarked from Sydney, NSW on HMAT Karoola (A63) on 16th June, 1915 with the 3rd Infantry Battalion, 6th Reinforcements.

He was taken on strength of 3rd Battalion at Anzac on 4th August, 1915.

Private Thomas Roberts was wounded in action at Gallipoli on 7th August, 1915 with shrapnel wounds to arm. He was transferred to Hospital Ship Ascania & admitted to Hospital at Abbassia on 7th August, 1915. He was transferred & admitted to No. 1 General Hospital at Cairo on 11th August, 1915. Private Roberts was transferred to No. 2 Convalescent Depot at Heliopolis on 11th August, 1915. He was discharged on 8th September, 1915.

On 22nd March, 1916 Private Roberts embarked from Alexandria for overseas on HMTS Grampian & disembarked at Marseilles, France on 28th March, 1916.

He reported sick on 17th July, 1916 & was admitted to No. 3 Australian Field Ambulance on 17th July, 1916 with Rheumatism. Private Roberts was transferred to 4th Australian Field Ambulance on 21st July, 1916. He was transferred & admitted to No. 1 New Zealand Stationary Hospital at Amiens on 28th July, 1916. Private Roberts was discharged on 30th July, 1916 to Base. He was admitted to No. 8 General Hospital at Rouen on 31st July, 1916 with Rheumatism. Private Roberts embarked on Hospital Ship Salta from Rouen on 1st August, 1916.

Private Roberts was admitted to Ulster Voluntary Force Hospital, Belfast, Ireland on 4th August, 1916 with Rheumatism (chronic) he was discharged on 22nd August, 1916 (date as per Hospital Admissions form).

He was taken on strength at No. 1 Command Depot, Perham Downs, Wiltshire on 26th August, 1916.

On 27th September, 1916 Private Roberts was written up for an Offence while posted at Perham Downs – AWL (Absent without leave) from 3 pm on 27th September, 1916 till 9 am on 29th September, 1916. He was awarded 3 days CC (Confined to Camp) & forfeited 3 days’ pay.

Private  Roberts reported back from furlough at No. 1 Command Depot at Perham Downs on 2nd October, 1916 & was medical classed as B1 A. He was marched in to Bovington Camp, Wool, Dorset, England on 13th October, 1916.

He was marched out to No. 4 Command Depot at Wareham, Dorset on 3rd November, 1916 & medically classified C (Fit for Home service).

On 20th November, 1916 Private Roberts was medically assessed at Wareham & classified as B1 A2 (Fit for overseas training camp in three to four weeks). He was assessed again on 20th December, 1916 & again classified as B1 A2 (little improvement). Private Roberts was assessed again on 9th January, 1917, 18th January, 1917 & 26th January, 1917 & each time classified as B1 A2.

A Medical Report was completed on Private Thomas Roberts on 30th January, 1917 at No. 4 Command Depot, Wareham, Dorset, England regarding his disability – Chronic Rheumatism. Private Roberts stated that he was troubled with Rheumatism about 15 years ago for the first time & has had rheumatism nearly every winter. “He complains of pains in every joint but no swelling” and “pains in hips & knees especially in cold & wet weather.” The Medical Board recommended that Private Roberts was permanently unfit for General Service & temporarily unfit for Home Service for more than 6 months.

He was marched out from No. 4 Command Depot at Wareham on 3rd March, 1917 & marched in to No. 2 Command Depot at Weymouth, Dorset the same day.

Private Roberts was written up for a Crime while posted at Verne – Absent off pass from Reveille on 12th April, 1917 till 11.30 am on 14th April, 1917. He was awarded 3 days CB (Confined to Barracks) & forfeited 3 days’ pay.

 

On 23rd May, 1917 Private Thomas Roberts left from Plymouth, England for return to Australia due to Chronic Rheumatism & arrived on Ayrshire on 19th July, 1917.

He was admitted to No. 4 Australian General Hospital, Randwick, Sydney, NSW, Australia on 3rd August, 1917. He was medically assessed & the comment reads: ”Occasional slight Rheumatic pains but condition much improved since leaving England. Permanently unfit.“  He was discharged on 4th August, 1917.

Private Thomas Roberts was discharged from the Australian Imperial Force on 21st August, 1917, medically unfit.

A request for a War Pension (NSW) was submitted on 11th August, 1917 by Private Thomas Roberts, of P.O. Oxford St, Sydney. The claim was rejected – “No incapacity as result of warlike operations.”

Claims were also made in the name of Elizabeth Roberts, wife; William Godfrey Lloyd Roberts, child; Edward Hugh Gough Roberts, child; Robert Gough Roberts, child; Norman Gough Roberts, child & Betty Maroubra Roberts, child – all of 5 Garden Terrace, Denbigh, Wales. All their claims were rejected.

A request for a War Pension (London) was submitted on 20th October, 1917 by Elizabeth Roberts, c/o J. A. Roberts, Railway Hotel, Denbigh, North Wales, wife of Private Thomas Roberts but was later withdrawn.

 

Thomas Lloyd Roberts died on 23rd March, 1921, aged 39. His death was registered in the March quarter, 1921 in the district of St. Asaph, Denbighshire, Wales.

He was buried St. Marcella Churchyard, Whitchurch, Denbighshire, Wales (West of Church) and has a Private Headstone. His death is still acknowledged by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. His address listed in the Burial Register was 5 Garden Terrace, Denbigh.

(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)

https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/whitchurch.html

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