Richard David (Dick) ROE

ROE, Richard David

Service Number: 2221
Enlisted: 1 July 1915, Keswick
Last Rank: Sergeant
Last Unit: 10th Infantry Battalion
Born: Oakbank, South Australia, Australia , 9 April 1891
Home Town: Oakbank, Adelaide Hills, South Australia
Schooling: Oakbank
Occupation: Carpenter
Died: Died of Wounds, France, 10 April 1917, aged 26 years
Cemetery: Bapaume Australian Cemetery
Row A, Grave No. 10 "DICK, LOVED SON OF J. & M. ROE NOBLY LIVED, NOBLY DIED"
Memorials: Adelaide Grand Masonic Lodge WW1 Honour Board (1), Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Oakbank Old Scholars Roll of Honor, Woodside District of Onkaparinga Honour Board
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World War 1 Service

1 Jul 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2221, 27th Infantry Battalion, Keswick
21 Sep 1915: Involvement Private, 2221, 27th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Star of England embarkation_ship_number: A15 public_note: ''
21 Sep 1915: Embarked Private, 2221, 27th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Star of England, Adelaide
27 Feb 1916: Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 10th Infantry Battalion, Originally 27th Infantry Battalion
2 May 1916: Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 10th Infantry Battalion
23 Sep 1916: Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 10th Infantry Battalion, Temporary
30 Jan 1917: Promoted AIF WW1, Sergeant, 10th Infantry Battalion
8 Apr 1917: Wounded AIF WW1, Sergeant, 2221, 10th Infantry Battalion, Later died 10th of April
10 Apr 1917: Involvement Sergeant, 2221, 10th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 2221 awm_unit: 10 Battalion awm_rank: Sergeant awm_died_date: 1917-04-10

Richard David Roe

Name: Richard David Roe
Service Number: 2221
Place of Birth: Oakbank
Date of Birth: 9 April 1891
Place of Enlistment: Keswick
Date of Enlistment: 1 June 1915
Age at Enlistment: 24 years 1 month
Next of Kin: Mother, Mary Ann Roe
Occupation: Carpenter
Religion: Church of England
Rank: Sergeant
Upon being sent overseas to serve Richard was admitted to the 1st Auxiliary Hospital at Heliopolis with tonsillitis on 4 January 1916 for 2 weeks. He disembarked at Marsailles on 3 April and was appointed Lance Corporal on 5 May. Richard was promoted to Acting Sergeant with 4 / 27 Battalion on 29 June. On 8 April 1917 he was wounded in action sustaining a serious shrapnel wound to the head. Sergeant Richard Roe died from his wounds 2 days later on 10 April and was buried at Bapaume Australian Cemetery. His personal effects were sent to his mother on 9 March 1918. She also received her son’s Memorial Plaque, Victory Medal and Memorial Scroll between October 1921 and June 1923.

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Biography contributed by Adelaide High School

Richard David Roe (known as ‘Dick’ to his family), was born on the 9th of April 1891 in Oakbank, South Australia. Before World War One, he was a carpenter and had no significant other. His was an only child to his mother, Mrs Mary Anne Roe, who was his next of kin, and his father James Roe.

Roe enlisted on the 1st of June 1915 in Keswick South Australia at the age of 24. He embarked from Adelaide, South Australia on the 21st of September in 1915 on the HMAT Star of England. Before he joined the 27th Battalion on the 20th of January 1916, it was reported that he had tonsilitis in Heliopolis on the 4th of January that year. He was originally in the 27th Infantry Battalion but was moved on the 27th of February 1916 to the 10th Infantry Battalion.

Roe was also promoted from the rank of Private to Sergeant on the 30th of January 1917. During his time abroad, he exchanged letters with a Miss H.M. (Hettie May) l’Anson of Payneham who wrote Roe as a part of a letter exchange.

During his service period, he was never ill or sick. On the 8th of April 1917, a day before his 26th birthday, Roe was wounded in action with a serious shrapnel injury to the head. Two days later, he succumbed to his injuries. He was buried in the Bapaume Australian Cemetery, France.

After his death, Roe was commemorated on several memorials, including the St Thomas Anglican Church Cemetery located in Balhannah, South Australia as well as the Grand Masonic Lodge, Adelaide, South Australia. His father later died aged 83 on September 18th, 1920, and his mother died aged 83 on the 11th of July 1931.

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