Trooper Jack Roberts

Ancestor Details

Ancestor's Name: John (Jack) Roberts
Ancestor's date of birth: 14/07/1878
Ancestor's date of death: 11/05/1967
Cause of Death: Old Age
Service Number: 574
Colony or State of enlistment: NSW, Place of Enlistment: Singleton
Unit: NSW Lancers
Rank attained in Boer War: TPR, Date Effective: Prior to the war
Highest Rank attained (if served after war): No further military service
Murray Page: 12
Contingent: First New South Wales
Ship: Nineveh, Date of Sailing: 10/10/1899 (from the UK)
Memorial details: Parramatta (NSW Lancers Memorial Museum), Lismore and Singleton Boer War Memorials
Decorations: Queen's South Africa Medal with four clasps (Belfast, Orange Free State, Modder River and Belmont)
Personal Characteristics: Born Glendonbrook via Singleton of grazier parents Jack grew up on the land. Hard working, noble and a man of high principles. Loyal.
Reasons to go and fight: Jack Roberts was an excellent Horseman.Aged 22 he enlisted in NSW Lancers at Maitland. He travelled with Captain Cox's squadron for training in the UK during chosen to participate at Imperial Games Islington UK. Training at Aldershot was Awarded 3rd prize for tent pegging with swords at Imperial Games, Aberdeen Scotland 1899. The Boer War was declared 1 day before they were due to sail back to Australia and their ship was diverted to South Africa.
Details of service in war: November 1899 - December 1900 in northern Cape Colony, Free State, and east Transvaal; with French's cavalry division from relief of Kimberley (February 1900) to sweep to Heidelberg (October 1900); Aldershot component was the first Australian unit to arrive in South Africa (2 November 1899). Taken prisoner Slingersfontein during the incident when Fred Kilpatric was killed. He re-joined after release at Waterval 06/06/1900.
Service and life after the Boer War: Mr Davies writes: "I remember well having Mr Roberts to morning tea when 12/16 HRL were in annual camp at Singleton. Also he was a client for income tax stuff about that time, C 1956. He had no sons but two daughters, one of which was married to a NSW member of Parliment, may have been a Minister maybe member for Mosman." Mrs Richardson writes: "No other Service. Returned to Singleton to take up his pastoralist life and married Alice Thompson Wright in 1927 at 50 years of age.(Alice dob 23/06/1895 - died 25/12/1993 aged 98). They had 3 children John Wright Roberts born 1928 (dec 2009), Mary Anne Wright Roberts (Arblaster)born 1929 (dec 2009), Ruth Alice Wright Roberts (Richardson) born 1932. Jack died one month short of 90th birthday on 11th May 1967."

Descendant Details

Name of Descendant: John Davies, Bowral NSW
Relationship to Ancestor: Friend
Name of Descendant: Ruth Richardson, BELMONT NSW
Relationship to Ancestor: DAUGHTER

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