MADDISON, Robert
| Service Number: | 7094 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 10 July 1917, Newcastle, New South Wales |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 18th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Wallsend, New South Wales, Australia, 23 November 1886 |
| Home Town: | Newcastle, Hunter Region, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Railway Shunter |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 19 May 1918, aged 31 years |
| Cemetery: |
Dive Copse British Cemetery, Sailly-le-Sec Plot III, Row D, Grave No. 5 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board, Lambton Ancient Order of Forresters No 4584 Honor Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 10 Jul 1917: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 7094, Newcastle, New South Wales | |
|---|---|---|
| 19 Dec 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 7094, 18th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '12' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Ulysses embarkation_ship_number: A38 public_note: '' | |
| 19 Dec 1917: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 7094, 18th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ulysses, Sydney | |
| 19 May 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 7094, 18th Infantry Battalion, Merris (France) |
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"Private Robert Maddison who served with 18 Battalion and was killed in action on 19 May 1918. Maddison was a railway shunter from Newcastle, NSW and enlisted in the AIF on 10 July 1917 aged 30. He embarked from Sydney aboard HMAT Ulysses in December 1917 and arrived in England for training in February the following year. He later embarked for France on 6 May 1918 and was killed in action 13 days later, on 19 May at Ville-sur-Ancre. Maddison is buried at Dive Copse British Cemetery near Sailly-le-Sec." - SOURCE (www.awm.gov.au)
Biography contributed by John Oakes
Robert MADDISON (Service Number 7094) was born on 23rd November 1886, in Wallsend. He began working with the Railways on 25th September 1916 at Newcastle. He was in the Traffic Branch. By December of that year, he was working as a porter. He was released from duty with the Railways on 30th July 1917 when he joined the AIF. He was 30 when he enlisted. He embarked at Sydney on HMAT A38 ‘Ulysses’ on 19th December 1917. He disembarked at Suez on 16th January 1918.
After a brief stay in Egypt, he embarked at Port Said on 24th January. He disembarked at Taranto, Italy on 2nd February. He was taken on strength of the No. 9 Camp in Taranto on the same day. By 13th February, he was in Southampton (England). He proceeded overseas to France. He marched into Etaples on 7h May 1918 and was in the field from 12th May.
However, he was in action for only a week before he was killed on 19th May 1918. He was buried at Dive Copse British Cemetery, Sailly-le-Sec, Picardie, France.
After his death, his wife was sent his personal items, including a wallet, a notebook, a fountain pen, and letters. She was also sent the medals her husband was awarded – the British War Medal, and the Victory Medal.
- based on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll and notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board.
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