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FORD, Robert Allan
| Service Number: | 4174 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 6 September 1915, at Adelaide |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 50th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Burra, South Australia, 24 September 1897 |
| Home Town: | Kooringa, Burra, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Memorials: | Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial, Burra District WW1 Honor Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 6 Sep 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4174, 10th Infantry Battalion, at Adelaide | |
|---|---|---|
| 11 Jan 1916: | Involvement Private, 4174, 10th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Borda embarkation_ship_number: A30 public_note: '' | |
| 11 Jan 1916: | Embarked Private, 4174, 10th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Borda, Adelaide | |
| 11 Nov 1918: | Involvement Private, 4174, 50th Infantry Battalion | |
| Date unknown: | Wounded 4174, 50th Infantry Battalion |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Saint Ignatius' College
Before the War
Robert Allan Ford was born in Burra, South Australia, even though he lived in Kooringa, South Australia with his mother. He was born on 24th September 1897. He was an unmarried labourer before he enlisted to fight in the war. He was a short man (5 feet 7 inches/1.7 m) with brown eyes and black hair. Before the war, he had some military training in the 82nd battalion.
During the War
Robert Allan Ford enlisted on 6th September 1915 and he took his oath on the same day, in Adelaide, South Australia. His regimental number in the 10th Battalion was 4174, but he was transferred to the 50th Battalion on 26th February 1916. His rank on enlistment was private and his next of kin was his mother, Mrs E Ford.
Robert embarked on HMAT Borda A30 on 11th January 1916 from Adelaide and he headed at first to Egypt and then to the Western Front. 2nd April 1917, Robert was wounded in action, and also captured by the Germans. He served out the remainder of the war as a prisoner.
After the War
On 26th December 1918, After the war, he was repatriated back to London where he reunited with his brother before he returned to Australia. He was rewarded with two medals. The medals he was rewarded with were the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. Since he served in the war, he was rewarded with the British War Medal. Since the Allied Forced won, him and all the other soldiers in the Allied Forces were awarded with the Victory Medal.