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© New South Wales Lancers Memorial Museum Incorporated ABN 94 630 140 881
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The Australian Boer War Memorial
Anzac Parade Canberra
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| Trooper (later Sergeant) Robert Attwood |
Ancestor Details
Ancestor's Name: Robert Francis Arthur William (ka Frank) Attwood
Ancestor's date of birth: 17/11/1875
Ancestor's date of death: 28/07/1948
Cause of Death: Died in the Sacred Heart Hospice, Darlinghurst, NSW. Chronic myocarditis and bronchitis.
Service and Life Before the Boer War: Born Auckland, New Zealand to parents William Francis and Mary (nee Lewis). Greenstone polisher. .
Service Number: 359 1NSWMR; 22 2NSWMR
Colony or State of enlistment: NSW, Place of Enlistment: Sydney
Unit: 1st then 2nd New South Wales Mounted Rifles
Rank attained in Boer War: TPR, Date Effective: 1899
Highest Rank attained (if served after war): SGT, Date Effective: 25/04/1917
Murray Page: 65, 111
Contingent: First then Fifth New South Wales
Ship: Aberdeen, Date of Sailing: 04/11/1899
Ship: Southern Cross, Date of Sailing: 15/03/1901
Other Boer War Service: Returned to Sydney 1 May 1901 and again on 4 June 1902 after second enlistment. Medals believed lost in a fire.
Memorial details: Buried C of E Cemetery, Rookwood, NSW.
Awards/Decorations/Commendations: Queen's South Africa Medal with Cape Colony, Driefontein and Transvaal clasps; King's South Africa Medal with South Africa 1901 and South Africa 1902 clasps; Mentioned in Dispatches. 1914/15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Personal Characteristics: Not known. WWI enlistment describes him as 172 cm tall, weight 72 kg, dark complexion, browne eyes and brown hair greying at the sides.
Reasons to go and fight: Unknown.
Details of service in war: Arrived Cape Town 17 Jan 1900. Served Orange Free State, Bloemfontein, Modder River, Vaal River. Second enlistment Western Transvaal, Doornek, Eastern Transvaal.
Service and life after the Boer War: Married Amy Elswick Hughes, daughter of Jesse and Amy (nee Coleman) 7 July 1902 in Newtown, NSW. Daughter Frances Elsie Lillian born 17 Sep 1903. Son Eric Arthur Francis born 4 May 1905. Separated from wife 1909 and left with care of two young children. Employed as a French polisher. Served in 1 Australian Field Ambulance Gallipoli from 25 April 1915. Enlisted 26 August 1914 in Sydney, Nsw.Sailed 21 September. Served Tel-el-Kebir Egypt 29 Jan 1916 then Divisional Train at Serapeum. transferred to 14 Field Ambulance 25 February 1916 embarking with BEF in Alexandria on 19 June 1916. Served on Somme. Promoted sergeant. Detached to 6 Field Ambulance 25 April 1917. Discharged as overage Sydney 21 November 1917. Worked as truck driver but was unsettled and became a violent alcoholic estranged from his family.Married twice more:Mary Ellen Garrod 9 December 1919 and Laura Elvina McCarthy on 16 January 1936. Son Francis Norman born 13 November 1921 served in WWII.
Descendant Details
Name of Descendant: Sandra Joy Attwood, Tascott NSW 2250
Relationship to Ancestor: great-granddaughter
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© New South Wales Lancers Memorial Museum Incorporated ABN 94 630 140 881
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