MCHENRY, Robert John
| Service Number: | 959 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 23rd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Broomfield, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 28 July 1916, age not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Creswick Newlyn Methodist Church Roll of Honor, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial (Australian National Memorial - France) |
World War 1 Service
| 10 May 1915: | Involvement Corporal, 959, 23rd Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '14' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Euripides embarkation_ship_number: A14 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 10 May 1915: | Embarked Corporal, 959, 23rd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Euripides, Melbourne | |
| 28 Jul 1916: | Involvement 959, 23rd Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 959 awm_unit: 23 Battalion awm_rank: Lance Sergeant awm_died_date: 1916-07-28 |
Finding Robert John McHenry
Finding Robert john McHenry has been a 20 year journey of discovery.
From an old cemetery in the township of Creswick, Roberts name is etched on his father's head stone, simply stating his age (21) killed in the Great War, France, 1916.
This journey of discovery has taken me first to the Ballarat library for research, then to the Avenue of Honour at Kingston, where his tree was planted in 1918 and still has his name attached to his tree. To the bakery at Newlyns where he was employed, the ovens are still intact in the building he worked in, before he headed off to the Great War.
The great war took him first to Egypt, where he studied to become a leader of men, he proudly wrote in his letter that he graduated second in his class. Then before heading off to Gallipoli, writing that special letter, that still exists to this day, written to his boss Mr W.E Bennie at the Newlyns bakery, whilst in hospital recovering from the flu.
Then we headed off to Gallipoli to walk in his footsteps at ANZAC cove, then onto Pozieres in Northern France to a place, and a battle, that has been described as hell on earth.
Whilst walking along the ridge at Pozieres, between the windmill and Mouquet farm, we literally stood within metres of where he fell, shot through the chest by machine gun fire whilst charging down the hill towards Mouquet Farm, many metres ahead of his men.
His death was witnessed by three of his men ' one of them writing, he was the bravest Sergeant we had.
His body was never recovered, probably blow to bits buy the thousands of shells dropped on the ridge, so he has no known grave. His name is etched on the wall at VB cemetery where 21,000 other Australians names are with no know grave.
It has been an honour to have been able to follow in his footsteps, he will always be my hero.
Greg McHenry
Lilydale
Submitted 6 July 2015 by greg mchenry