Abercromby, Robert Ralph
2660 Private Robert Ralph Abercromby - 44th Battalion
Robert Ralph Abercromby was born in Newcastle upon Tyne England on the 16th July 1884. He was educated in Newcastle and after leaving school he took up a carpentry apprenticeship with Glashen and Sons. This apprenticeship was of seven years duration, during which time Robert also spent three years in the local Military volunteers.
In 1906 Robert travelled to Western Australia and worked for a local Hardware merchants and also went to Mt Barker for a period of time. He soon returned to Fremantle and in 1910 married Ruby Helliwell. The Helliwell's lived in Swan Street North Fremantle and they lived there, apart from a short period when the newlyweds went to Adelaide, where their first child was born.
After returning to WA, Robert secured employment with Caltex and bought a house in Albion Street Cottesloe. Robert got a new job at Eureka flour Mills. During this time two more children were born.
As Robert had young children he didn't enlist when the Great War began but by 1916 as their house was now paid off, which gave his wife and children some more security, Robert enlisted into the AIF at Fremantle.
The medical examiner passed him as fit, recording his details as, height of 5 feet 5 & 1/2 inches tall, weight of 124 lbs, chest measurement of 31-33 inches; pale complexion, brown eyes and black hair.
After a period in the training camp Robert was assigned to the 5th Reinforcements to the 44th Battalion. He trained in WA until the 9th November 1916 when his transport ship the HMAT Argyllshire departed Fremantle Harbour.
After arriving in England Robert spent a few months training on the Salisbury Plains. It wasn't until the 25th April 1917 that he joined the 44th Battalion in France.
The 44th Battalion were then in the Ploegsteert sector of southern Belgium and the Battalion were about to take part in the Messines offensive.
Robert left some diary entries of this time;
Sunday June 4th Fatigue all day had to carry gas cylinders back from front line and coming back about 10 o’clock at night in single file, gas alarm, what a shock we were flabbergasted hold your breath till you got your gas helmet on and then had to walk a good distance but got home safely.
Monday, 44th had a daylight raid, 36 over the top and brought back 3 prisoners had another but the Lieutenant saw he was badly wounded and shot him. 6 of ours killed, Monaghan and McGrath killed poor beggars, both married.
Just turning in when the order was rushed along to stand to with everything in battle order to advance in ten minutes (what a rush) all ready and then we had to turn in again. Just got in a while when gas alarm, more excitement and after that had to go on guard 2 to 4am things humming...
Great preparations for the big push which starts tonight. We were all asleep and the gas alarm went. Had to wake each other up to put on our gas helmets on. No more sleep, stragglers coming in gassed. Barrage started after three. Mines blew up on signal. Take it Messines went up, prisoners coming in wholesale.
We started advance on June 8 and I think we advanced 2 miles and just before dawn we charged Fritz but he had cleared. Coming up he sent a lot of gas shells along side of us and you can imagine us groping over and in shell holes. I had mask on and fell in shell hole, had to lie there till nearly dawn as I was lost in No Mans Land. Found my way into NZ trenches and got on our Battalion track just as they were digging in. 9 in our gun crew were wounded already but had to advance another 150 yards on the right side of Messines road. What a hellish fire digging in for our lives. Had to hold for day and night heaviest barrage next day advance another 150 yards, Machine guns, snipers, H.E. Whizz Bang in fact every kind of fire directed against us. Fritz cleared out of his trenches we leaped them and dug in 20 yards further on. Hung on for one day and night and on being relieved while stealthily creeping back some of the boys would keep moving when the flare went up and Fritz set to work with all his artillery on us when I got some of it about 7 o’clock at night and lay all night until the stretcher bearers came and got me in the morning.
Robert suffered shrapnel wounds to his back and legs and was therefore evacuated to hospital in England. The wounds he received would end his time in the Great War and he departed for home later in 1917.
(Photo below Robert in hospital in England 2nd right standing)
Unfortunately the wounds would continue to affect him. He started up a second hand furniture store in Claremont and meanwhile his marriage to Ruby who he married in 1910 flourished and by 1932 they had seven children. As well as his work, Rob joined the RSL, Masonic Lodge and Claremont Bowling Club. He again served his country in World War Two as he served in the VDC. However this was a sad time for the family as their daughter Ina and three of Ruby’s brothers died during this period. By the 1960’s Robert’s health declined and he died on 9th May 1963 aged 81. His wife Ruby died in 1979.
(Photo below Robert Abercromby and Albert and Roby Helliwell)