WILLS, Robert Joseph
| Service Number: | 651 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 19 July 1915, An original of B Company |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 29th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Werribee, Victoria, Australia, 1892 |
| Home Town: | Werribee, Wyndham, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Werribee State School, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Contract chaff cutter |
| Died: | Died of wounds, Edmonton, Middlesex, United Kingdom, 2 August 1916 |
| Cemetery: |
Tottenham Cemetery Gen. 7357 Commemorated on the Screen Wall |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Werribee Honour Roll, Werribee St Thomas' Church of England Honor Board, Werribee St Thomas' Presbyterian Church Honor Board (Lost), Werribee State School Honour Board, Werribee War Memorial, Wyndham Presbyterian Church Honor Board |
World War 1 Service
| 19 Jul 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 651, 29th Infantry Battalion, An original of B Company | |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Nov 1915: | Involvement Private, 651, 29th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '16' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ascanius embarkation_ship_number: A11 public_note: '' | |
| 10 Nov 1915: | Embarked Private, 651, 29th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ascanius, Melbourne |
Help us honour Robert Joseph Wills's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon
He was 24 and the son of James and Thyza Wills, of Werribee, Victoria, Australia.
Biography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Robert Joseph Wills and his brother George Wills both enlisted together in B Company of the 29th Battalion. In their first action at Fromelles George was killed and Robert was also mortally wounded the same day. Robert succumbed to his wounds and died in hospital in England a fortnight later.
Robert was aged 24, attended Werribee S.S. and was a chaff cutting contractor. He suffered a gun shot wounds to his buttock, legs and shoulder during the Battle of Fromelles and was evacuated to England via Boulogne but died of his wounds on 2 August 1916, at Edmonton Military Hospital and is buried in Tottenham and Wood Green Cemetery Middlesex.
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 – 2nd August…… Robert Joseph Wills was born at Werribee, Victoria in 1892.
He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 19th July, 1915 as a 23 year old, single, Chaff Cutting Contractor from Thornleigh, Werribee, Victoria.
Private Robert Joseph Wills, Service number 651, embarked from Melbourne, Victoria on HMAT Ascanius (A11) on 10th November, 1915 with the 9th Infantry Brigade, 29th Infantry Battalion “B” Company & disembarked at Suez on 7th December, 1915.
On 16th June, 1916 Private Wills embarked from Alexandria on Tunisian to join B.E.F. (British Expeditionary Force). He disembarked at Marseilles, France on 23rd June, 1916.
Private Robert Joseph Wills was wounded in action in France on 19/20th July, 1916. He was admitted to 2nd Casualty Clearing Station on 20th July, 1916 with G.S.W. (gunshot wound/s) to Buttock. Private Wills was transferred to No. 18 Train on 20th July, 1916 & admitted to 3rd Canadian Stationary Hospital at Boulogne, France on 21st July, 1916. He was transferred to England on Hospital Ship St David on 21st July, 1916 with G.S.W. Buttock.
He was admitted to Military Hospital, Silver St, Edmonton, England on 22nd July, 1916 with Shrapnel wound/s to Buttock, Leg & Shoulder (slight).
Private Robert Joseph Wills died on 2nd August, 1916 at Edmonton Military Hospital, London North, Middlesex, England from wounds received in action in France – G.S.W. Buttock.
He was buried in Tottenham Cemetery, Greater London, Middlesex, England – Heroes Corner Grave No 7334. He is now remembered on CWGC Screen Wall - Gen. 7357 (Screen Wall) as he has no headstone. His death is still acknowledged by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/tottenham.html
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