Robert John Booth

First Name: 
Robert
Middle Name: 
John
Last Name: 
Booth
Date of Birth: 
Friday, March 8, 1895
Mother's Name: 
Elizabeth Ann Booth (nee Wakem)
Father's Name: 
Robert John Booth
Date Enlisted: 
Saturday, February 12, 1916
Rank at Enlistment: 
Private
Rank at Discharge: 
Private
Unit: 
9th Battalion
Company: 
18th Reinforcement
Service: 
Infantry
Awards: 
British War Medal
Victory Medal
Date of Death: 
Thursday, December 19, 1946
Place of Death: 
Casino, NSW.
Details: 

Robert John Booth (Service No 5778) was born in Kiama, N.S.W in 1895.  He was 20 years old and working as a dairy farmer in Northern New South Wales when he enlisted at Lismore, N.S.W.  

Robert embarked with the 9th Battalion, 18th Reinforcement, from Brisbane, Queensland, on board HMAT A49 Seang Choon on 4 May 1916.

He served in Egypt and on the Western Front.  On 3 May 1917 Robert was wounded in action while serving in France at Bullecourt, France, sustaining a severe gunshot wound to the chest and back.  Evacuated to the 2nd London General Hospitral on 16 May 1917, Robert was eventually returned to Australia, arriving on 20 March 1918, where he was  discharged as medically unfit.

"The First Battle of Bullecourt, 11 April 1917, was an Australian attack on German trenches east of the village of Bullecourt. The plan was to advance some three kilometers north, taking the village of Hendecourt, two kilometers north east of Bullecourt. Operations of this kind were usually supported by a prior artillery bombardment of the German trenches. However at Bullecourt the Australian 4th Division attacked without artillery support, in an attempt to surprise the Germans, but with the assistance of a dozen tanks. In spite of the failure of most of the tanks to reach the German line, the Australian infantry advanced northwards, with Bullecourt on their left flank, and seized two lines of German trenches. There they were halted by increasing German resistance. Let down a second time by the failure of their own artillery to fire on the German counterattacks, the Australians, having held the enemy trenches for several hours, were driven back to their starting line with the loss of over 3000 men. Poorly planned and hastily executed, the first battle of Bullecourt resulted in disaster." -- from: www.ww1westernfront.gov.au/bullecourt

Robert died at the age of fifty one in 1946 in Casino,N.S.W.

Robert's brothers William Wallace Booth & Ernest Albert Booth (Service No 5777) also served.

Sources: 
Australian War memorial
AIF Database
National Archives Australia. NAA: B2455, BOOTH, RJ

Comments

My grandfather, Robert John Booth's older brother William Wallace Booth, born 1893, also enlisted. His record shows he enlisted in Perth when working over there as a shearer but he was discharged prior to the ship leaving for overseas service.
I have been unable to find any more about him than this and wondering whether your sources are able to trace him further.
https://discoveringanzacs.naa.gov.au/browse/records/92666 This is the link to his service record.
I would appreciate any information you are able to glean as I can find no trace after his discharge. According to the National Archives he may have been in the flying corp but there is nothing more I can find. https://discoveringanzacs.naa.gov.au/browse/person/94464
Thanks, you have a great project.

Thanks for that feedback Alan.  Unfortunately I have not been able to find any more information about William Booth either, but I will give William his own entry as he definitely enlisted and is one of Illawarra's men.  Hopefully some more information will be uncovered some time in the future!