Friday, Robert Coots Curtis
4199 Lance Corporal Robert Coots Curtis Friday - 1st Pioneer Battalion
Robert Coots Curtis Friday was born in Yatala South Australia 22nd February 1885 to George and Eliza Friday and was one of ten siblings born into the family.
While in South Australia, Robert took up a Fitters Apprenticeship in Gawler for two and a half years.
The family moved to WA in the 1900's and took up residence in Fremantle and Robert resumed his work into being a Fitter. He also spent three years in the Royal Australian Navy Reserve.
He married in 1909 in Fremantle to Euphemia Miller and they took up residence in Raleigh Avenue North Fremantle. One son Robert was born in 1910, a daughter Rita in 1911, Leslie 1914 and Jessica in 1916.
On the 9th September 1915 Robert 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 10 & 3/4 inches tall;
Weight - 144lbs;
Chest Measurement - 35-37 inches;
Complexion - Dark;
Eyes - Brown;
Hair - Dark Brown;
Distinctive Marks - Tattoos - Crown on upper left arm, Crossed swords, ring and cross on left arm; arrow and two hearts on right arm.
After his successful enlistment Robert was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp and was assigned to the Depot Training unit. He stayed in the depot for two months and on the 9th November 1915 was assigned to the 13th Reinforcements to the 11th Battalion.
Robert trained with this group in WA for the next two months. Their embarkation orders then arrived and Robert and his group entrained for Fremantle Harbour where they boarded the transport ship HMAT Borda. The ship then set sail for Egypt, arriving there in February 1916.
After arriving in Egypt Robert was sent to the reinforcement camp and then on the 19th March 1916 transferred into the 1st Australian Pioneer Battalion. He didn't have long in Egypt with this unit as on the 26th March the 1st Pioneer Battalion embarked for France and arrived at Marseilles on the 2nd April 1916.
The men were then entrained north for the Armentieres Sector. They would have their first experience of the Western Front in this area. The Pioneers were engineering/labour units that could also be used as infantry. But they would largely be used to construct and maintain front line and communication trenches plus building dugouts as well as maintain roads and building specialised defensive positions. During a battle this would often have to be done under heavy German shellfire.
The 1st Pioneers stayed in the Armentieres region from April to June 1916. They were then moved to the Somme battlefield. The 1st Australian Division were tasked with the capture of Pozieres village and prior to this action happening, the 1st Pioneers were busy at work on the support and communication trenches.
Pozieres was successfully captured on the 23rd July 1916 and the 1st Division held this area for the next few days under very heavy shellfire. After being relieved by the 2nd Australian Division, the 1st Division was sent for a few weeks rest period but by mid August 1916 were back in action at Mouquet Farm.
On the 17th August 1916 Robert was wounded in the hand by shrapnel. After treatment at the field ambulance he was sent to the 3rd Casualty Clearing Station and then on to the 1st Canadian General Hospital at Etaples. He only spent four days here and on the 21st August 1916 was transferred to the 1st Australian Division Base Depot. He was kept here for around six weeks while his wounded hand recovered.
Robert rejoined the 1st Pioneers when they were in Belgium on the 7th October 1916. They were here for a few more weeks and were then sent back to the Somme battlefield. The 1st Australian Division would be based near Flers from November 1916 to February 1917. During this time the conditions were very wet and muddy and then when the temperature dropped further the battlefield froze over.
Robert was given a reprieve from the battlefield when he was granted a two week furlough to England in January 1917. Towards the end of his leave period he fell ill and reported to the 2nd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Southall. He spent a few days here but then had to return to France and rejoined the 1st Pioneers on the 3rd February 1917.
In March 1917 the Germans began their withdrawal to their pre-prepared defensive position known as the Hindenburg Line. The Australian and British units pressed them all the way and several sharp actions were fought around the outpost line villages, with the 1st Division being heavily engaged around Boursies and Lagnicourt in March and April 1917.
The 1st Pioneers also saw much activity at Bullecourt in May 1917 when they were under heavy shellfire and had to keep the support and communication trenches open for reinforcements to get through.
After the Bullecourt action in May 1917, the 1st Australian Division was pulled out of the line for a three month rest period, so from June to August 1917, much of the time was taken up with training and sporting activities.
In August 1917 Robert was appointed Lance Corporal and was then detached for duty with the 21st Machine Gun Company. This detachment lasted until the 3rd September 1917.
The 1st Australian Division were now in Belgium to take part in the Third Battle of Ypres. On the 20th September 1917 the 1st Division took their objectives during the Battle of Menin Road, and they subsequently saw further action through September and October 1917 at Polygon Wood, Celtic Wood, Broodseinde Ridge, Zonnebeke and Passchendaele. Robert and the 1st Pioneers conducted most of their work under German shellfire, though fortunately he came through this period unscathed.
On the 30th October 1917 Robert was sent to a Lewis Gun School at Le Touquet. He passed this course and returned to the 1st Pioneers on the 18th November 1917.
From November 1917 to March 1918, the 1st Australian Division held the front line in the sector between Messines and Ypres Belgium.
As a result of the German offensive of March 21st 1918 when they broke through the British front in the southern sector, the five Australian divisions were sent to the Somme to help stop this advance. The 1st Australian Division, was the last of the divisions to leave Belgium and had just arrived near Amiens when the Germans broke through the line in Belgium and made a speedy advance into northern France. The 1st Australian Division was then returned north and met the Germans around Hazebrouck, Meteren and Merris and for the next few months were in action here.
In early August 1918 the 1st Australian Division was moved south to Villers-Bretonneux where they would take part in the large advance that was due to take place on August 8th 1918.
The 1st Division didn't take part in the first day of the advance but went into the line on the 9th August 1918 and on the following day attacked the German positions at Rosieres and Lihons. The 1st Pioneers were kept busy during this period as the line was continually advancing.
Robert and his unit were in action till September 18th 1918 and then the 1st Australian Division were pulled out of the line for a well deserved rest. They had several weeks out of the line and were just preparing to return to the front when the Armistice was announced on the 11th November 1918.
Once the Germans had withdrawn to their own borders, the Australians were sent into what had been German occupied parts of Belgium and France.
On the 15th December 1918 Robert was granted a fortnight's leave to England and rejoined his unit in France on the 1st January 1919. Robert remained in France with his unit till the 20th March 1919. He was then returned to England and was sent to camp to wait being assigned a berth on a troopship home.
On the 12th May 1919 he boarded the troopship Soudan and set sail for home, reaching Fremantle on the 21st June 1919.
Robert was discharged from the AIF on the 13th August 1919.
He then returned home to North Fremantle and further children would be born into the family, Albert in 1920, Kenneth 1922, Mavis 1926 and Betty 1928.
In 1922 the family moved to Smith Street in Cottesloe and Robert was working as an engine room assistant. In 1925 they moved to 3 Hall street North Fremantle and then to 63 Bracks Street. Robert was now working as a motor driver.
In 1937 the family was living at 3 Chudleigh St EF and Robert had begun work as a lumper at Fremantle wharf. During World War Two the family moved to 1 Burt Street in Cottesloe. They remained here through to the 1950's
Robert died on the 25th October 1958 in Cottesloe aged 73. He was buried in Fremantle Cemetery plot Presbyterian MON EE 0376