Renner, Robert (Bob)

6808 Private Robert (Bob) Muir Renner - 11th Battalion AIF

Robert Muir Renner was born in Albany WA in 1893 to Frederick August and Mary Agnes Renner. He had five siblings, Elizabeth (1890), Frederick (1892), James (1895), Ernest (1898) and Jack (1903).

Bob had his early years in Albany and was educated there. The family then moved up to Bunbury when his father secured the role of Station Master. Frederick Renner then got the job of Perth Station Master and the family moved, firstly to Fremantle and then Cottesloe Beach (Mosman Park). Sadly Bob's father died Frederick at home at Cottesloe Beach in 1913.

Bob had served with the Senior Cadets while in Bunbury and on arriving in Fremantle, joined the Fremantle Swimming Club and also the East Fremantle Football Club.

The family lived at Ocean Road Cottesloe Beach and Bob was working as a labourer in Fremantle.

Two of his brothers, Fred and Jim, had enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force in 1915, and another brother Melville, was serving with the home forces, so it wasn't long before Bob tried to enlist as well.

On the 3rd July 1916 in Fremantle Bob enlisted into the AIF. The medical examiner passed him as fit for service, and recorded his physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 7 & 1/4 inches;

Weight - 180lbs;

Chest Measurement - 37-39 inches;

Complexion - Fresh;

Eyes - Brown;

Hair - Brown.

After his successful enlistment, Bob was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to No.80 Training Depot. He was taken through the basics of infantry training at this camp. He didn't have long there as on the 9th August Bob was allotted to the 23rd Reinforcements to the 11th Battalion AIF. He trained with this group for the next four weeks but was then transferred into the 22nd Reinforcements to the 11th Battalion AIF.

Bob trained with this group in WA for the next two months. On the 9th November 1916 Bob and his group entrained for Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship HMAT Argyllshire. After the long sea voyage the ship arrived at Devonport Harbour on the 10th January 1917.

Bob and his group were then disembarked and sent to the 3rd Training Battalion at Durrington Camp on the Salisbury Plains. He would train in England for the next few months apart from a stay in hospital with mumps.

On the 3rd May 1917 Bob travelled across to France and was sent to the 1st Australian Division Base Depot. he had a week there and was then taken on strength of the 11th Battalion on the 10th May 1917.

Bob joined the 11th Battalion just in time for a three month rest period, as the Battalion was being given a rest away from front line service, and much of the next three months were to be taken up with training and sporting activities.

In June Bob was sent to a school of instruction for musketry and Lewis Gun.

In July 1917 Bob contracted influenza and was sent to the 1st General Hospital at Etretat. He remained there till the 4th August 1917 when he was sent to No.4 Convalescent Depot Camp at Le Havre. Bob rejoined the 11th Battalion on the 26th August 1917.

In September the 11th Battalion moved back up to the front line in Belgium as they were about to take part in the Third Battle of Ypres. On September 20th 1917 Bob took part in the Battle of Menin Road, when the 11th Battalion advanced from Glencourse Wood to the outskirts of Polygon Wood. Bob came through this attack safely and on the 29th September was promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal.

In October 1917, the 11th Battalion saw further action at Broodseinde Ridge and Celtic Wood. They then continued to hold the line on the Passchendaele front through to November 1917.

In December 1917 the 11th Battalion moved south of Ypres, where they continued to hold the front line through to March 1918. Bob was with the 11th Battalion during this time apart for a fortnight's leave to the UK in February 1918.

On the 21^st March 1918 the Germans broke through the Third and Fifth British Armies to the south and were making quick time for Amiens. The Australian Divisions were then  sent south to the Somme to combat this threat. The 1st Australian Division were the last to leave Belgium and had just arrived at Amiens in early April 1918 when news broke of another German breakthrough, this time at the Belgian front where they had just come from. The 1st Australian Division, including the 11th Battalion were then returned north, and met the Germans around the Nieppe Forrest, Hazebrouck and Strazeele.

Through April to July 1918 the 11th Battalion were in action around the French villages of Merris and Meteren.

In August 1918 the 1st Division was sent to the Villers-Bretonneux front to rejoin the other Australian divisions. On August 8th 1918 the large advance commenced which broke through the Germans, and Australian, British and Canadian forces had largely successful attacks.

On the 9th/10th August 1918 the 11th Battalion followed up on this advance. On the 10th August at Lihons the 11th Battalion were heavily hit by German machine gun fire which caused large casualties, but Bob came through unscathed.

Two days later on the 12th August 1918 Bob was sent to a school of instruction so he missed the next few weeks of the advance, but he rejoined the 11th Battalion on the 5th September 1918.

He was now promoted to Corporal and was with his unit for their last action of the war which took place on the 18th September 1918 near Jeancourt. He again came through this attack safely.

After this action the 11th Battalion was pulled out of the line for a rest period. When the Armistice was signed on the 11th November 1918 they had not yet gone back to the front.

After the German surrender, the Australian units went into garrison what had been German occupied parts of France and Belgium.

On the 14th January 1919 Bob was granted leave to England, returning to his unit on the 14th of February 1919. Bob remained in France until May 1919 when the 11th Battalion was dissolved.

He was then sent to England and was sent to the AIF Camp at Longbridge Deverell to await being assigned a berth on a troopship home. On the 18th July 1919 Bob boarded the transport ship Takada and set sail for home, disembarking in Fremantle on the 29th August 1919.

Bob was discharged from the AIF on the 6th October 1919.

On his return home Bob went back to live at the family home at Ocean Road in Cottesloe Beach. He also went to play football for the North Fremantle football club and resumed his work as a labourer.

In 1924 in Cottesloe Robert married Elsie Maud Doust and a son called James Davie Renner was born in 1925 and Robert in 1926. The family then moved to 47 Harvey Street Cottesloe Beach and Robert now secured employment as a storeman. The family remained in Harvey Street through the 1940's and 50's,

By 1963 they were living at Solomon Street Cottesloe.

Robert Muir Renner died in Mosman Park on the 22nd August 1975 aged 82. He was cremated at Fremantle Cemetery.