Broxton, Robert Wallace
2052 Lance Corporal Robert Wallace Broxton - 44th Battalion AIF
Robert Wallace Broxton was born on the 18th October 1881 in Leominster Herefordshire England to William and Srah Broxton. He had an elder brother called William who was born in 1879.
The family soon moved to Pontesbury Shropshire which is where Robert was educated.
On the 13th August 1911 he married Jessie Stewart in Liverpool England. Shortly after the marriage they moved to Western Australia.
They initially took up residence in Subiaco which is where their daughter Roberta was born in 1914 and Wilma in 1915. They then moved to Aurelian Street in East Fremantle and a third child called Christine was born in 1917.
During this time Robert had initially worked for a year for C Killington and Co in Fremantle as a Shop Foreman, then for another year as a Departmental Manager with Whitlock and Co, before working as a Manager for two years with the Coastal Industrial Co-op society. However prior to his enlistment Robert was working as a Grocer.
On the 16th March 1916 Robert had enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was passed as fit for service with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 5 & 1/2 inches tall;
Weight - 127lbs;
Chest Measurement - 36 inches;
Complexion - Medium;
Eyes - Blue;
Hair - Brown.
Upon his successful enlistment Robert was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to No.63 Training Depot. For the next two weeks he was taken through the basics of infantry work at this camp. On the 4th May 1916 he was then assigned to the 16th Reinforcements to the 28th Battalion AIF.
Robert had over three months training with this group in WA but on the 16th August 1916 he was transferred to the 3rd Reinforcements to the 44th Battalion. He had six more weeks training with this group in WA and then on the 10th October 1916 entrained for Fremantle Harbour where his reinforcement group boarded the transport ship HMAT Suffolk. The ship then set sail for England, reaching Plymouth on the 2nd December 1916.
Robert and his group were then disembarked and sent to the 11th Training Battalion on the Salisbury Plains. He only had a few weeks in England before being sent to France on the 20th December 1916. Robert was then sent to the 3rd Australian Division Base Depot Camp at Etaples. He was taken on strength of the 44th Battalion on the 26th January 1917.
The 44th Battalion were then situated near Armentieres in Northern France. In April 1917 the 44th Battalion then moved into Southern Belgium at Ploegsteert.
From June to August 1917 the 44th Battalion served in the Battle of Messines and Robert came through the actions at Messines and Warneton safely.
From September to November 1917 the 44th battalion served at the Third Battle of Ypres and Robert would have seen action at Zonnebeke, Broodseinde Ridge and Passchendaele. Fortunately he came through these actions safely.
From the 18th November to 4th December 1917 Robert was detached for duty with the 290th Tunnelling Company.
The 44th Battalion spent December 1917 to March 1918 in Belgium holding the front line south east of Ypres. On the 11th March 1918 Robert was promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal.
As a result of the German offensive on March 21st 1918 which broke through the British front line further south, the Australian Divisions were sent to the Somme to help stop the German advance. The 44th Battalion were sent to an area near the Somme River at Sailly-le-Sec and Sailly Laurette. The 44th Battalion advanced till they met the Germans in the field near Sailly Laurette and though the German fire stopped the 44th from advancing, the Germans were also stopped.
Robert and the 44th Battalion were in this sector for the next few months. On the 4th July 1918 the 44th Battalion took part in the successful capture of Hamel village. Robert came through this action unscathed.
On the 8th August 1918 the 44th Battalion took part in the successful advance from the Villers-Bretonneux front and they took their objectives. The 44th Battalion advanced continually for the next several weeks, seeing action around Bray, Clery and Peronne.
On the 15th August 1918 Robert had been promoted to temporary Corporal. On the 26th August 1918 Robert was wounded when a gas shell exploded nearby him. He was overcome with the gas fumes and was evacuated to the 9th Field Ambulance. After further treatment at a Casualty Clearing Station Robert was put on a hospital train to the French town of Rouen. He was admitted to the 10th General Hospital.
Robert was treated there for a week and was then shipped to England and was admitted to the Royal Victoria Hospital at Netley. Robert was a patient here from the 5th September to 14th November 1918.
He was then transferred to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford. He spent a further month at this hospital but on the 13th December 1918 was granted a two week furlough during which time he visited family and was able to have Christmas with relations.
On the 27th December 1918 Robert reported back for duty at No.4 Command Depot Camp. He remained at this camp while he waited for his embarkation orders to arrive. On the 3rd March 1919 Robert boarded the troopship Euripides and set sail for home, reaching Fremantle on the 10th April 1919.
Robert was discharged from the AIF on the 2nd June 1919.
He returned home to Aurelian Street but then re-enlisted for home service with the Permanent Australian Forces on the 5th June 1919. He then served on the Clerical Staff for the Permanent Forces until the 18th February 1920.
Robert also became a member of the East Fremantle branch of the Returned Services Association.
He then returned home and resumed work but soon changed trade and became a baker. By 1925 the family had moved to Gladstone Ave in South Perth. Robert had also joined the South Perth Rifle Club shortly after moving to the suburb.
Sadly Robert died as a result of a traffic accident on the 17th May 1929 aged 47. He was buried at Fremantle Cemetery plot Anglican MON A2 0051.
On the 18th May 1929 the Daily News reported;