Beckett, Robert

No.4450 – Private Robert Daniel Beckett – 11^th Battalion AIF

Robert Beckett was born in Melbourne Victoria in 1894 to Robert & Christine Beckett. The family moved to Western Australia and took up residence in Fremantle where Robert attended Fremantle State School. After leaving school he took up a trade and became a Boilermaker’s Assistant. Robert would also serve in the 86^th Militia infantry during his time as a Boilermaker.

By the First World War his father had passed away and his mother had moved back to North Fitzroy in Victoria; however, Robert still resided in Fremantle at 81 Victoria Street. On the 18^th October 1915 Robert offered his services to the AIF and was accepted as fit for duty. His medical examination found him to be 5 feet 8 inches in height; weight of 130 lbs; chest measurement of 34-36 inches; fresh complexion; blue eyes and dark brown hair. His religious denomination was Presbyterian.

Robert was initially sent to No.33 Depot and then transferred to the 14^th Reinforcements to the 11^th Battalion. This group trained in Western Australia for a few months under Lieutenant Benno Lehmann before their departure. They left Fremantle on the 10^th March 1916 aboard the H.M.A.T. Miltiades bound for Egypt. However Robert’s time in Egypt was short as he was sent on to France, arriving at Marseilles on the 4^th April 1916. He entrained up to the north of France, arriving at Etaples where he went into the 1^st Australian Division Base Depot for further training. He was admitted to hospital with Influenza on the 20^th April 1916 however was back at the base depot on the 29^th April. Robert spent May 1916 at the 1^st Australian Division Base Depot and only joined up with the 11^th Battalion on the 12^th June 1916.

The 11^th Battalion soon moved from Armentieres to the south at the Somme where they would soon partake in the giant Somme offensive. While the British & French made the initial attacks on the 1^st July 1916, the 1^st Australian Division was brought into action on the 21^st July 1916 at Pozieres. The 1^st Division units successfully captured the village, with the 11^th Battalion capturing their objective. They then had to sit through a massive German barrage on the remains of the village. Robert was wounded in the shoulder on the 25^th July 1916 and was evacuated back to No.44 Casualty Clearing Station and then to No.1 Australian General Hospital at Rouen. Robert’s wound was deemed serious enough for evacuation to England and on the 28^th July he was admitted to No.1 Southern General Hospital in Birmingham. He stayed here till September when he was admitted to No.2 Australian Convalescent Hospital at Harefield and then No.1 Australian Convalescent Hospital where he stayed for several months. After recovering from his wound Robert came down with mumps and was admitted to Wareham Military Hospital.

It had been decided to form a 6^th Australian division in England and after Robert recovered he was sent to form the 70^th Battalion AIF. This meant that Robert would spend March till September in England. With the lack of reinforcements coming from Australia there weren’t enough numbers to form the 6^th Division and so it was disbanded, with the men returning to their original units. Robert returned to the 11^th Battalion on the 10^th October 1917. The 11^th were recovering from their ordeals during the Third Battle of Ypres but were still used to man the front line trenches, if they could be called trenches in the mud strewn battlefield. On the 31^st October 1917 Robert was killed by a German shell. He was hastily buried by his mates alongside of William Mudie, another Fremantle soldier of the 11^th Battalion who had also been killed by the shell.

After the war Robert & William’s grave were located and they were reburied in Passchendaele New British Cemetery. William’s plot being XIII.E.6 & Robert’s being XIII.E.7, thus still buried side by side.