Robert GAWN

GAWN, Robert

Service Number: 22059
Enlisted: 22 August 1917
Last Rank: Sapper
Last Unit: HQ Infantry Base Depot Army Service Corps
Born: Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand , 6 April 1975
Home Town: Sydney, City of Sydney, New South Wales
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Driver
Died: Tighes Hill, New South Wales, Australia, 14 August 1929, cause of death not yet discovered
Cemetery: Sandgate General Cemetery, Newcastle, NSW
CATHOLIC 1-28. 93.
Memorials:
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World War 1 Service

22 Aug 1917: Enlisted AIF WW1, Sapper, 22059, Field Company Engineers
21 Mar 1918: Involvement Sapper, 22059, Field Company Engineers, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '5' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Persic embarkation_ship_number: A34 public_note: ''
21 Mar 1918: Embarked Sapper, 22059, Field Company Engineers, HMAT Persic, Sydney
1 Oct 1919: Discharged AIF WW1, Sapper, 22059, HQ Infantry Base Depot Army Service Corps, 2nd MD

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Biography contributed by Evan Evans

From Gary Mitchell, Sandgate Cemetery
 
Served during The Great War, resting at Sandgate Cemetery. 

92 years ago today, on the 16th August 1929, Sapper Robert Vincent Gawn, Australian General Base Depot (Reg No-22059), driver and ironworker from the Royal Oak Hotel, Tighes Hill, New South Wales, father of five, was laid to rest at Sandgate Cemetery, age 54. CATHOLIC 1-28. 93.

Born at Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand on the 6th April 1875 to Robert Gardiner and Frank (Francis) McMeekin Gawn and Julia Mary Gawn nee Kennedy of 155 Grey Street, Onehunga, Auckland, New Zealand; husband of Rebecca Gawn nee Channings (married 1900, Wellington, N.Z., died?), also a family with Margaret Helen Ruby Rennie, known as Ruby, Robert enlisted August 1917 with the Field Company Engineers, 2nd Draft Reinforcements at Newcastle, N.S.W.

Suffering no wounds or sickness during his service, Robert returned home September 1919, being discharged on the 1st October 1919.

I have not located Mr. Gawn’s name inscribed on any known War Memorial or Roll of Honour.

I located Robert resting in an unmarked grave with curbing, now long forgotten, so December 2017 I placed a cross adorned with poppies on the gravesite, taken a photo of the grave and uploaded the photo onto the Northern Cemetery website as a permanent record of his service.

I will be submitting an application to DVA asking for a Commonwealth War Graves Plaque to be placed at the gravesite to restore Honour and Dignity to Mr. Gawn.

Brothers James Andrew (12/1632) and Thomas George (4/171) served with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force.

Lest We Forget.

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