Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Robert Edward JENKINS

Military Medal Recommendation: - 

‘For conspicuous gallantry on the night of the 9th/10th July 1918 near MERRIS. This soldier acted as platoon runner during the attack and displayed great courage and coolness while carrying messages from front to rear through heavy shell and Machine Gun fire. He made numbers of trips and was of great assistance to his officers in gaining touch with the flanks and reconnoitering routes and positions. This soldier was continuously under shell and machine gun fire in the execution of his duty.’

Recommended for MM by Cap’t Ascarne, 6th Battalion Aust. Inf Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 23 Date: 12 February 1919

Robert Jenkins enlisted in November 1915 as news of the faltering Gallipoli campaign filtered back to Eaglehawk. Seven months of brutal fighting had resulted in no breakthrough so bullishly predicted in the papers early in the campaign. Weekly news of local lads killed in the fighting and the sight of returned wounded and invalids made for a sombre mood on the streets of the ‘Borough’, as Eaglehawk was affectionately known.

Robert Jenkins was twenty years of age and would need his widowed mother’s signed certificate of consent to complete the enlistment process. The Jenkin’s family lived in Jobs Gully, Eaglehawk and he was employed at Horwood’s Foundry on the corner of Vine and McKenzie Street in Bendigo. He listed his occupation as an Iron Moulder, a typical role at the foundry that employed upwards of 40 men and was a major supplier to the mining industry making large winches and drilling equipment.

Following enlistment in mid November, Robert embarked for war in late January. The first news on his travels would appear in the Bendigo Advertiser on August 18 1916.

WOUNDED SOLDIERS- PRIVATE R. E. JENKINS

Mrs Jenkins, of Jobs Gully-road, has received information that her son, Private R.E. Jenkin, of the 14th reinforcements, 6th Battalion, has been wounded in action in France. The wounded soldier was educated at the Eaglehawk State School, and was at the time of enlisting employed at Horwood's Foundry in Vine-street. He enlisted in November last year, and sailed on 28th January. He is 21 years of age.[1]

Robert had strained his back in fighting on the Somme in July 1916 and was taken behind the lines to Estaples, a major port and hospital depot for the British and Commonwealth forces.

He would return to the trenches after a month of treatment however, he would be in and out of hospitals through 1917 with the usual ailments that inflicted AIF soldiers, in scabies, boils and trench fever (also listed as debility). The last illness would see him transferred back to the AIF camps in England for treatment.

By April 1918 Robert is back at the front. After three months of continuous fighting, Robert’s efforts were recognised for a bravery award in  fighting at Merris in Northern France. A month later he is wounded again, this time by gas in late August and is needed to be taken behind the line for treatment.

Before the news of Robert’s bravery exploits at Merris, Mrs Margaret Jenkins would receive the dreadful news that her youngest son Henry (Harry) is killed fighting on the Somme. In the Bendigo Advertiser on September 11 1918 a one line post is reported: -  Pte. H. J. JENKINS, Killed in Action, 9th August; youngest son of Mrs. Jenkins, of Job's Gully-road, California Gully.[2]

Henry Thomas JENKINS (known as Harry) was a tram conductor who enlisted at age 18 and was fighting with the 29th Battalion. He would be killed the day following the major ‘Battle of Amiens’ in which Canadian and Australian troops with support of a thousand fresh American troops delivered a crushing blow to the Germans.

It is not known whether Robert heard this news about his younger brother Harry’s death. A few weeks later Robert was gassed as the Australian forces pushed the Germans back to the Hindenburg line.

The news of Robert’s medal reaches the Bendigo Advertiser Fri 6 Dec 1918. NEWS OF SOLDIERS.

Mrs. M. Jenkins, of Job's Gully road, Eaglehawk, has received a letter from her son, Private Robert Edward Jenkins, who has won the Military Medal for bravery on the battlefield. He has been on active service for three years, and was wounded

twice and gassed once. His brother, Private Harry Jenkins, of the 29th Battalion, was killed in action.[3]

Robert Jenkins returned to Australia on HMAT Ceramic and disembarked on March 23, 1919.

SERVICE DETAILS:

Regimental No: 4527

Place of birth: Bendigo Victoria

Religion: Methodist

Occupation: Ironmoulder

Address: Jobs Gully Rd, Eaglehawk, Bendigo,

School: Eaglehawk School

Marital status: Single

Age at enlistment: 20

Next of kin: Mother, Mrs Margaret Jenkins, Eaglehawk, Bendigo

Enlistment date: 16 November 1915

Unit name: 6th Battalion, 14th Reinforcement

Embarked: HMAT A32 Themistocles on 28 January 1916

Final Rank: Private

Fate: Returned to Australia March 23, 1919

9th/10th July 1918 near MERRIS. The battle at Merris - Northern France near the Belgium border.

Charles Bean wrote- ‘In the north, set attacks had been made by the Australians at Merris and – in co-operation with the British at Meteren. They now culminated with a brilliant success in which Merris was surrounded, before the Germans knew it, by Lieut.-Colonel Wilder –Neligan’s battalion, the 10th, with advancing between two screens of artillery fire laid in and beyond the village’.[4] 

Following continual fighting around Merris, the Australian 1st Division was victorious at Merris at the end of July, 1918.

[1] Bendigo Advertiser on August 18 1916  Page 3
[2] Bendigo Advertiser on September 11 1918  Page 3
[3] Bendigo Advertiser Fri 6 Dec 1918.  Page 5  
[4] Anzac to Amiens C.E.W Bean, Penguin Books, 2014. Page 462-463