S4453
KELLY, Robert Matthew
| Service Number: | 2532 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 50th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Light Labour |
| Memorials: | Snowtown & District Roll of Honor |
World War 1 Service
| 21 Sep 1916: | Involvement Private, 2532, 50th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '19' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Commonwealth embarkation_ship_number: A73 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 21 Sep 1916: | Embarked Private, 2532, 50th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Commonwealth, Adelaide |
Robert Kelly
Name: Robert Kelly
Service Number: 2532
Place of Birth: Collingwood, Melbourne
Date of Birth: not available ( February 1873 based on Attestation Papers)
Place of Enlistment: Port Pirie
Date of Enlistment: 10 March 1916
Age at Enlistment: 42 years 11 months
Marital status: Widower
Next of Kin: Sister – Rhoda Coulson
Occupation: Labourer
Religion: Church of England
Rank: Private 50th Battalion
Biographical details:
Robert trained with the 2nd Depot Battalion at Mitcham Camp from 10 March to 31 March 1916. On 16 September he was assigned to the 50th Battalion as a Private. Robert left from Sydney with his unit on board HMT A73 Commonwealth on 19 September, disembarking at Plymouth, England on 14 November. His unit was sent from Folkestone to France on board the Princess Henrietta on 8 January 1917. Robert was despatched to the 50th Battalion, Australian4th Division at Le Havre on 16 August. He was transferred to England for permanent base duties on 27 August. Medically assessed as suffering senility, Robert was returned to Australia on board the Borda on 26 September and was discharged as “medically unfit” on 4 January 1918.(1).
Fruit Block Details:
Robert occupied Block 438 of 27 acres of which 24.75 acres were irrigable and 2.25 acres were dry, on 1 December 1919(2).
He married Eva May Cornish on 10 February 1919. They had a son, Robert Campbell, who was born at Snowtown on 29 January 1923. Robert was involved with the Loxton District Hospital Board of Management and was Secretary and Treasurer of the Loxton Association in 1925(3). When the Returned Services Association was formed at Berri in 1919, Robert was elected to the Committee(4),and at the Lone Gum Branch of the RSA in April 1925, urged participants to join the League(5).
Robert Kelly died on 5 July 1939(6).
References:
1. National Australian Archives: B2455; Kelly R; Barcode 3011381
2. Barmera Berri Council, Berri Barmera & Districts Local Heritage Collection.
3.Trove/ The Murray Pioneer & The Australian River Record 11 December 1925.
4.Trove/ The Murray Pioneer & The Australian River Record 21 February 1919.
5. Trove/ The Murray Pioneer & The Australian River Record 8 May 1925.
6. South Australian Births, Deaths & Marriages Records.
Submitted 5 October 2023 by christopher collins