DONOVAN, Robert Joseph
| Service Number: | 25434 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 6 December 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Gunner |
| Last Unit: | 1st Field Artillery Brigade |
| Born: | Birkdale, Queensland, Australia, 1 January 1896 |
| Home Town: | Wynnum, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Schooling: | St James College Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Occupation: | Dairyhand |
| Died: | Illness, France, 23 October 1918, aged 22 years |
| Cemetery: |
Abbeville Communal Cemetery Extension Plot IV, Row J, Grave No. 5. BELOVED SON OF ANNIE DONOVAN OF WYNNUM MAY HIS SOUL REST IN PEACE |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 6 Dec 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Driver, 25434, 3rd Field Artillery Brigade | |
|---|---|---|
| 29 Jul 1916: | Involvement Driver, 25434, 3rd Field Artillery Brigade , --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '3' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Orsova embarkation_ship_number: A67 public_note: '' | |
| 29 Jul 1916: | Embarked Driver, 25434, 3rd Field Artillery Brigade , HMAT Orsova, Sydney | |
| 23 Oct 1918: | Involvement Gunner, 25434, 1st Field Artillery Brigade, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 25434 awm_unit: 1st Australian Field Artillery Brigade awm_rank: Gunner awm_died_date: 1918-10-23 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Robert Joseph Donovan was one of three sons of John and Annie Donovan, of Wynnum, Queensland who enlisted and served in the AIF.
His brother, 3063 Pte. Thomas Donovan 47th Battalion AIF was killed in action at Pozieres on 4 August 1916, aged 24, and another brother, 3304 Pte John Donovan, briefly served overseas with the 25th Battalion before being returned to Australia as he was underage.
Robert enlisted in the artillery and arrived in England in late 1916. When he arrived on the Western Front he transferred to the 1st Division Artillery, in February 1917.
He was badly gassed on 31 October 1917 and sent to England to recover. He rejoined his unit back at the front during February 1918 and served until he was sent to hospital sick with influenza on 15 October 1918. He died a week later of bronchial pneumonia in the 3rd Australian General Hospital at Abbeville, France.
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