Lewis Roberts

First Name: 
Lewis
Last Name: 
Roberts
Mother's Name: 
Mary Roberts
Father's Name: 
Lewis Roberts
Date Enlisted: 
Friday, April 9, 1915
Rank at Enlistment: 
Private
Rank at Discharge: 
Sapper
Unit: 
20th Battalion
Company: 
A
Service: 
Infantry
Awards: 
1914/1915 Star
British War Medal
Victory Medal
Date of Death: 
Tuesday, February 11, 1919
Place of Death: 
England
Cause of Death: 
Broncho-pneumonia
Details: 

Lewis Roberts (Service No 263) was born in Bulli, N.S.W. around 1889.

When Lewis enlisted he was a single 26 year old coal miner.  He lived at Thirroul, N.S.W and had served 4 years in the Militia.

Lewis' parents were deceased and he named his brother Robert as his next of kin.

He embarked from Sydney on board HMAT A35 Berrima with ACompany, 20th Battalion on 25th June 1915 leaving behind a girlfriend, Blanche Symons, who corresponded with the AIF after Lewis' death.

Lewis arrived in Egypt and was sent to Gallipoli, arriving there on 16th August.  He returned to Egypt after the evacuation, and on 11th March 1916 was transferred to 5th Field Engineers.

Lewis served in France and on the Western Front.  On 12th February 1917 he was admitted to hospital with mumps, not returning to his unit till May 1917.

On 5th January 1918 Lewis was again admitted to hospital, this time in Belgium, due to illness, and returned to his unit on 9th January.

Lewis served until the end of the war, but back in England he was admitted to hospital where he died from pneumonia, following influenza, on 11th February 1919.

He was buried with full Military Honours in Povant (St George) Churchyard, Wiltshire: Plot I, Row A, Grave 5 Wiltshire.

Sources: 
NAA: B2455, ROBERTS LEWIS