HUMPHREYS, Robert George
| Service Number: | 591 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 22 August 1914, An original member of E Company |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 1st Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Wollongong. New South Wales, Australia, 30 December 1888 |
| Home Town: | Haberfield, City of Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Superior Public School, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Carpenter |
| Died: | Killed in action, France, 16 April 1918, aged 29 years |
| Cemetery: |
Le Grand Hasard Military Cemetery, Morbecque, France Plot 4, Row F, Grave 5. REST IN PEACE BELOVED ONE UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN |
| Memorials: | Haberfield WW1 Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 22 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 591, 1st Infantry Battalion, An original member of E Company | |
|---|---|---|
| 18 Oct 1914: | Involvement Lance Corporal, 591, 1st Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Afric embarkation_ship_number: A19 public_note: '' | |
| 18 Oct 1914: | Embarked Lance Corporal, 591, 1st Infantry Battalion, HMAT Afric, Sydney | |
| 16 Apr 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: 1918-04-16 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Robert George Humphreys was the son of George Bolton Humphreys and Laura Humphreys, of Eastwood, New South Wales.
Robert was born in Wollongong, and also attended school there. His father’s address was in South Africa when Robert joined up, and on his enlistment form Robert stated that he had served for six years in the Witwatersrand Rifles in South Africa. He was a carpenter in Haberfield, Sydney at the time.
His younger brother, 2858 Pte Harry Bolton Humphreys also in the 1st Battalion AIF, was killed in action at Pozieres, France, 23 July 1916, at only 19 years of age.
Robert was among the first Australians to enlist during August 1914, only weeks after war was declared. He was made a Lance Corporal in the premier 1st Battalion. He served at the famous Anzac landing and was promoted to Corporal only days later. He was promoted to Sergeant on Gallipoli during June 1915.
During the August 1915 fighting he was one of the few men later decorated with the Military Medal for Gallipoli. His recommendation states, “For great determination and courage during the first three days of Lone Pine, when he commanded his platoon in the captured trenches under heavy bomb and shell fire.”
During 1916 on the Western Front, he was promoted to Company Sergeant Major, and during April 1917 he was promoted to Lieutenant.
Robert was killed in action near Strazeele, Belgium when a German shell burst among his platoon and his loss would been great in the 1st Battalion, having been an original Anzac and surviving the whole of the Gallipoli campaign, even being decorated for Lone Pine. He rose through the ranks and fought for over two years on the Western Front.
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