Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Robert Greenhill was born on 10 July, 1895, in Corryong, Victoria. At the time his father, Thomas (1855 to 1934), was 40 and his mother, Mary Barbara nee Dickson (1865 to 1902), was 30. He had three brothers and two sisters. One of his brothers, William Greenhill, served with the 13th Light Horse. The image at left shows Bert Lennox, Bob and Ernie Whitehead, all who served in the 13th.

Robert enlisted on the 6 December, 1914, at Melbourne, Victoria. At that time he was a single, 21-year-old carpenter, living in Corryong. Robert’s physical description describes him as 5 foot 9 inches tall (175 cm), weighing 158 lbs (72 lbs), having a dark complexion, brown eyes and dark brown hair. He had four vaccination marks on his left arm, a scar above his left knee and the little finger of his left hand was deformed. Robert gave his religious denomination as Presbyterian. Like his brother, Robert was initially placed on strength with the 13th Light Horse.

Robert embarked for active service abroad on HMAT A34 Persic on the 28 May, 1915, departing from Melbourne, Victoria. His journey would take him across the Indian Ocean, up through the Red Sea and finally through the Gulf of Suez.

The 13th Light Horse would spend some time in Egypt training under desert conditions. Due to the high casualty rate in the Infantry units fighting at Gallipoli, it was decided to send the Light Horse Regiments currently in Egypt to Gallipoli to fight as infantry. On September 4, 1915, 23 officers and 413 other ranks of the 13th embarked on the troopship RMS Megantic. They arrived on Mudros four days later and at 1.30 am on 11 September, Robert disembarked at Watson’s Pier at ANZAC Cove.

While at Gallipoli the 13th Light Horse was at Shrapnel Gully, Lone Pine and Russell’s Top. At Lone Pine, their duties were to hold the trenches. Although they were not involved in large scale actions, similar to those in August, they suffered a number of casualties through constant Turkish shelling. In late November and early December, winter came with a vengeance to the Peninsula with snow falling. On the 13 December, 1915, Robert was admitted to the 1st Casualty Clearing Station suffering from trench feet. This was a familiar condition for soldiers on all fronts and was caused by the long immersion in cold water or mud and not being able to keep feet dry.

On the 6 January, 1916, he was transferred to the 16th Stationary Hospital on Mudros, suffering from mumps. Four days later he was transferred to the hospital ship Asturias and sailed to Alexandria where he was admitted to the 21st General Hospital. After one week here he was transferred to the Convalescent Camp at Ras-el-Tin. On the 2 February, he was discharged back to duty.

Robert embarked on a troop ship at Alexandria on 27 March, 1916, and proceeded to join the BEF in France. The journey across the Mediterranean took one week with his unit disembarking at Marseilles in the south of France. Upon arriving he was taken on strength with the 2nd Division Base Depot at Etaples. In early July, Robert was transferred to A Squadron of the 1st Anzac Army Corp Light Horse Regiment being appointed a driver in August of 1917.

During the hot, sunny days of May 1918, the 13th Light Horse was used for prisoner escort as well as undertaking specialist courses in areas such as signalling and musketry. In June, the 13th was relatively quiet with some troops being attached to infantry battalions and used in reconnaissance and for despatch riders. It was in September that things began to hot up for the 13th Light Horse as they were constantly used at the front for probing and reconnaissance tasks during the Allied offensive.

Robert had two weeks leave in England from the 5 October, rejoining his unit in France on the 21 October, 1918. This was at the same time as his brother William, also in the 13th Light Horse, had leave in England. Is it not known whether the brothers met and enjoyed their leave together.

On the 17 February, 1919, he left his unit and travelled to England where he was processed for demobilisation. Robert returned to Australia on the 28 June, 1919, on the transport SS Zealandic and was discharged from the AIF as medically unfit for service on the 23 September, 1919. For his service during the war, he was awarded the 1914/15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

He married Iolene Elsie Whitehead (1896-1975) on 8 July, 1925, at Iolene’s home at Wabba. They had six children during their marriage; Donald Edwin (born 1926), Mary Elizabeth (born 1927), Betsy May (born 1930), Marjorie Iolene (born 1933), Barbara Agnes (born 1936) and Robert William (born 1940). Robert passed away on 27 August, 1979 in Albury, New South Wales, at the age of 84, while Iolene had passed away four years previous in 1975.

Extract from "Light Horsemen of the Upper Murray", Year 5 and 6 Project, Corryong College.