UNDERWOOD, Roy Walton
| Service Number: | 197 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 12 July 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 32nd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Mount Gambier, South Australia, 2 January 1893 |
| Home Town: | St Peters (SA), Norwood Payneham St Peters, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Mt Gambier Public and High Schools, South Australia |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 5 March 1917, aged 24 years |
| Cemetery: |
Bancourt British Cemetery Plot V11, Row E, Grave 1. Headstone inscription reads: Loved son of J.I.U. and E.U. of Adelaide late of Mt Gambier |
| Memorials: | Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Mount Gambier High School Great War Roll of Honor, Norwood Primary School Honour Board, St Peters Heroes War Memorial, St. Peters Baptist Church Roll of Honour WW1 |
World War 1 Service
| 12 Jul 1915: | Enlisted | |
|---|---|---|
| 18 Nov 1915: | Involvement Private, 197, 32nd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Geelong embarkation_ship_number: A2 public_note: '' | |
| 18 Nov 1915: | Embarked Private, 197, 32nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Geelong, Adelaide |
Help us honour Roy Walton Underwood's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Graeme Roulstone
LOVED SON OF J.I.U. AND E.U.OF ADELAIDE LATE OF MT. GAMBIER
197 Roy Walton UNDERWOOD (Killed in action 5 March 1917)
Roy Walton Underwood was born at Mount Gambier on 2 January 1893, the son of John Isaac and Emily Underwood. He was enrolled at Mount Gambier High School on 21 January 1907 by his father, John Underwood, bootmaker, of Penola Road, Mount Gambier, and left the school on 1 November 1907.270
He enlisted at Keswick, South Australia, on 21 July 1915 (22, labourer, single, Baptist), naming his mother, Mrs Emily Underwood of St Peters as his next of kin. He embarked from Adelaide on the ‘Geelong’ on 18 November 1915 attached to A Company of the 32nd Battalion and disembarked at Suez on 18 December. While in Egypt he was hospitalised with influenza from 22 to 30 April 1916.
He embarked from Alexandria on the ‘Transylvania’ on 17 June 1916, disembarking at Marseilles in France on 23 June. He served during the horrendous battle of Fromelles on 19 July 1916. He was killed in action on 5 March 1917 and subsequently buried in Bancourt British Cemetery, France.
270 Mount Gambier High School Admissions Register, 42.
Published in 'Ours: the origins and early years of Mount Gambier High School and Old Scholars who served in the Great European War' by Graeme Roulstone
Biography contributed by Faithe Jones
Son of John Isaac and Emily Underwood, of 11, Third Avenue, St. Peters, South Australia. Native of Mount Gambier.
Biography contributed by Carol Foster
Enlisted at Keswick, SA with the 32nd Battalion and rank of Private.
Medals: 1914-1915 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Biography contributed by Adelaide Botanic High School
Roy Walton Underwood was a South Australian soldier who participated in the First World War at the age of 22 and 6 months. He was born on 2nd January 1893 in Mount Gambier, South Australia. He was the son of John Isaac and Emily Underwood, along with his two other siblings: Effie Esther Underwood and Rosa Evelyn Underwood. He attended Mt Gambier Public and High School and moved to Adelaide after school.Before the war, he was a labourer and lived in the suburb of St Peters, SA a
He was enlisted on the 12th of July 1915 at Keswick, SA with the 32nd Battalion and ranked as private. He met all the requirements to participate in the war as he was 5 feet and 5 inches with a chest width of 32 inches. After 4 months of being enlisted, he embarked as a private with the 32nd Infantry Battalion on HMAT (His Majesty’s Australian transport) “Geelong” from Keswick, SA, to Suez, Egypt, on the 18th of November 1919.
Exactly, 2 months later at 11am he disembarked ex H.M.T (His Majesty's Transport" or "Hired Military Transport") in Suez, Egypt. After disembarking, Underwood stayed in Suez for approximately four months,for further training. Then he was transferred to the 15th Field Ambulance on the 4th of April 1916. The 15th field ambulance was also responsible for all the second-line evacuation of casualties from the regimental aid posts of other battalions during World War I. He was later admitted to hospital due to Influenza, commonly known as the flu.
After recovering from Influenza, he then re-joined the battalion on the 30th of April 1916. Two months later on the 17th of June, he embarked to join the B.E.F (British Expeditionary Force) in Alexandria. After five days at sea, his battalion arrived in Alexandria from Suez. In Alexandria, his battalion partook in a training course along with other battalions from South Australia. The training course included intense exercises and survival skills allowing soldiers to survive during battles.
The day after his troop disembarked from Alexandria to Marseilles, he was admitted to the 15th field ambulance on the 19th of February. He was then admitted by the ANZAC Scabies Hospital due to an intense case of scabies. By February 29th, 1917, he had made a swift recovery and was able to rejoin the battalion.
As his battalion arrived in Marseilles, they travelled on foot towards Trones Wood to fight in the battle of Somme. His battalion spread out around France in places such as Guedecourt, Waterpoint, Fleres, Deville wood and longaeval.
Unfortunately, on the 8th of March 1917 during the battle of Somme, Underwood never made it home. He lived to the age of 24 years and was killed in action likely from a gunshot wound. During the battle he was partaking in the role of Regimental Stretcher Bearer. His grave is located in Bancourt British Cemetery of France on Plot V11, Row E, Grave 1. His Headstone description reads Loved son of J.I.U. and E.U. of Adelaide late of Mt Gambier.
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