JEMISON, Robert Glendinning
| Service Number: | 2178 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 5 March 1915, Keswick |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 10th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Clare, South Australia, Australia, 7 September 1894 |
| Home Town: | Norwood (SA), South Australia |
| Schooling: | Wallaroo, South Australia |
| Occupation: | Blacksmith |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 8 April 1917, aged 22 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" |
| Memorials: | Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Cowell Men from Franklin Harbour WW1 Roll of Honour, Cowell War Memorial, Norwood War Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 5 Mar 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2178, 10th Infantry Battalion, Keswick | |
|---|---|---|
| 23 Jun 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 2178, 10th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Borda embarkation_ship_number: A30 public_note: '' | |
| 3 Jun 1916: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 2178, 10th Infantry Battalion, Wounded in Action - Petillon / Fleurbaix (Armentieres) Evacuated to the UK RTU 22 Sep 1916 | |
| 8 Apr 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2178, 10th Infantry Battalion, The Outpost Villages - German Withdrawal to Hindenburg Line, Killed in action near Louverval - Bn war diary cites action at this location on 8 April DoD) |
A Twist of Fate
Robert Jemison was engaged to Ethel Ruby Haines, before embarking for overseas service in June 1915. They were both from Cowell. By all accounts young Robert was a good fellow and of a well regarded family.
When Robert Jemison was killed in France in April 1917, Ethel became like so many other young women of that era; robbed of her intended life partner. Unlike many women in similar circumstances, Ethel re-partnered. She met and later married local Station Master Thomas Sidney Dixon.
Years later, after General Douglas MacArthur escaped from the Philippines, in the face of Japanese invasion, he came to Australia and travelled to Melbourne via train from Alice Springs.
Terowie was on the Gawler-Peterborough line and was the change of Gauge (also known as the Break-of-Gauge) for passengers and freight transferring to the SAR broad gauge network. MacArthur held his first Press Conference at Terowie Railway Station. Whilst transferring trains in Terowie on 20 March 1942 he said: “I came out of Bataan and I shall return”.
MacArthur subsequently repeated the line “I shall return” in Melbourne and in a number of other speeches, and the phrase became his by-line. It also underpinned his subsequent Pacific strategy as a 'promise'.
Thomas Sidney Dixon was the Station Master at Terowie on that day stood next to MacArthur when he uttered his famous line.
Story related by Sidney Dixon's grandson, John Wadlow.
Submitted 9 January 2017 by Steve Larkins
Biography contributed by Steve Larkins
Robert Glendenning JEMISON was killed in action with the 10th Battalion in the Outpost Villages actions near FREMICOURT on 7 April 1917
Biography contributed by Cowell Area School
Born in Clare, SA and educated at Wallaroo, Robert (Bob) Glendinning Jemison worked as a blacksmith around Cowell and Wallaroo before enlisting early in March, 1915 aged 20 years. Robert Jemison, Horace Watson, Andrew Miller, Thomas Fergusson & Mark Reed were all farewelled at the Commercial Hotel on 26/2/1915. They later wrote a letter from Lemnos asking our district men to volunteer as they really needed volunteers rather than conscripts fighting with them.
Private Jemison embarked Adelaide on HMAT ‘Borda’ in June 1915. After spending time on the Gallipoli Peninsula he proceeded to Marseilles in April 1916. The 10th Infantry Battalion’s first major action in France was at Pozieres in the Somme valley in July 1916. After Pozieres the battalion fought at Mouquet Farm and Ypres before returning to the Somme for winter of 1916-17. Private Jemison he was killed in action near Fremicourt on April 1917. His name is inscribed on the memorial at Villers Bretonneux, France.
Private Jemison’s brother, Mr JR Jemison received the following letter from Private Arthur A Haines:
France May 10th
Just a line to express my sympathy in the sad loss of your brother Bob. I expect you have had word before this that Bob was killed in action on this front on Easter Sunday, while taking part in the charge with his Battalion. I met George Sinclair the other day and he gave me all the particulars. He was alongside him when he was hit. Bob was struck by a machine gun bullet in the head and died instantly. He suffered no pain at all. George was one that helped to bury him, and told me where his grave was. I went across and found it, and fixed it up as best I could. They have placed a very nice cross at the head, giving all particulars of him. Bob was a fine soldier and was thought the world of by all in his unit. It was the first big fight he had taken part in since his return from England. I saw him about a week before he went into the line and he was looking real well. George Sinclair tried to get some of his things to send home to you, but all his pack and things were salvaged before he had a chance to get them. Trusting this finds you all in the best of health, with best wishes I remain,
Yours sincerely
WHEELER A. A. HAINES.
From Eyre’s Peninsula Tribune (Cowell, SA) Fri 27 July 1917
Links/Information
Australian War Memorial
Australian National Archives record
Trove: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/219231544?searchTerm=The%20Late%20Pte.%20R.G.%20Jemison
World War 1 Biographies (Folder, located at Cowell RSL) Stocker, B.
https://vwma.org.au/explore/units/1 Virtual War Memorial Australia – 10th Infantry Battalion
World War 1 Biographies (Folder, located at Cowell RSL) Stocker, B.
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