Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Corporal Robert Minney Inwood was born on the 2nd of April 1896 in Renmark South Australia. He used to work as a labourer in South Australia where he went to Broken Hill Central School. He was the younger brother Reginald Roy Inwood, who was born in Melbourne Victoria. He was christened at the church of England 

Robert Inwood (service number was 1153) enlisted when he was 18 on the 9th of December 1914 in the Oakland’s in South Australia for the First World War. Then on the 9th of February 1915 he embarked on the HMAT Runic A54 as a corporal in the 10th Battalion in Melbourne. He was promoted to sergeant in the 10th Battalion.

After Robert Inwood had finished in Gallipoli he went to France. On the 24th of July 1916 he was killed in action at the age of 20. Robert earned a 14/15 Star, a British War Medal and a Victory Medal all in between 1914 and 1916. The three medals that Robert got are in Victoria today with his great great grandchildren. 

Son of Edward Henry INWOOD and Mary Anna nee MINNEY

Younger brother of 506 Sgt. Reginald Roy Inwood (VC) (/explore/people/44803) and elder brother of 320 Pte. Harold Ray Inwood (/explore/people/285393)

Sgt. Robert Minney Inwood, 10th Battalion Australian Infantry, wrote to his wife at Broken Hill, New South Wales, from Tel-el-Kebir Camp, Egypt, on 31st December 1915.
“Am writing to let you know that I am still in the best of health and spirits. I am once more back in Egypt, and at the time of writing have been here two days. It is six weeks since we left the trenches. On leaving the trenches we went on board a transport bound for Lemnos Island. We stayed at the island for five weeks and on December 26 we left for Egypt. After a three-days' sail we arrived at the above camp. We got into camp on December 30 at 10.30. I was a bit unlucky, as I had to mount guard with 21 men and a corporal. I have not had a letter from anyone for two months. We have not had our Christmas mail yet owing to shifting camp. We got our Christmas billycans on Christmas Eve, and there were some very useful things in them. We did not have such a bad Christmas after all, although it was so quiet. I have been promoted to sergeant, and while we are in the rest camps we have a mess, so that we live all right. We do not know how long we will be in the rest camp, for by all accounts they expect trouble on the Suez Canal. If there is trouble there we will be sent there. I hope it will not be long before we are in action again, for it is no good in the rest camps. They work us day and night. We were on Lemnos Island for five weeks, but as we were quarantined for four weeks we did not have a chance to look around the villages. Jack Mac, Bill Malone, Will H., and his father are in the best of health, and wish to be remembered to you all.” [1]
The former labourer was killed in action at Pozieres on 24th July 1916. Buried in Serre Road Cemetery, No. 2, he was the 20 year-old son of Edward and Mary Inwood, of 233 Cornish Street, Broken Hill, New South Wales.
One of his brothers was Cpl. Reginald Roy Inwood, 10th Battalion Australian Infantry, who was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions at Polygon Wood in September 1917. His official citation read:
“For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty during the advance to the second objective. He moved forward through our barrage alone to an enemy strong post and captured it, together with nine prisoners, killing several of the enemy. During the evening he volunteered for a special all night patrol, which went out 600 yards in front of our line, and there – by his coolness and sound judgment – obtained and sent back very valuable information as to the enemy's movements. In the early morning of the 21 September, Private Inwood located a machine gun which was causing several casualties. He went out alone and bombed the gun and team, killing all but one, whom he brought in as a prisoner with the gun.” [2]
[1] 'Barrier Miner' (Broken Hill, New South Wales), 27th February 1916.
[2] 'London Gazette,' 23rd November 1917.