Richard Roberts
Name: Richard (Dick) Lawrence Roberts
Rank: Private
Service No.4563
Unit Served: 10th Battalion
Personal Details:
Richard (Dick) was born on 8th August 1896 to John Soames Roberts and Annie Roberts, of 5, Harris St., Norwood, South Australia. Richard was the second child of six children. He attended Wellington Road Primary, North Norwood.
Richard was 5” 11 3/4” tall and weighed 151lbs. He had a fair complexion, brown eyes and dark brown hair. Richard was a wood turner and had spent 3 years in the citizen force as a Senior Cadet prior to enlisting.
Military Service
Richard enlisted on the 27th September 1915 at the age of 19 and 1 month. He and his brother Stanley went to join the A.I.F on the 14th September 1916 however due to Richard requiring consent from their father this did not happen but their service numbers were sequential
Richard was assigned to the 10th Battalion 14th Reinforcement with his brother Richard, on the16th November 1915. He departed Adelaide on the “Militiades” on the 7th February, 1916, arriving in Egypt on the 11th March. He left Egypt on 29th May 1916 for the French port of Etaples arriving on the 7th June 1916. He joined the 10th Battalion (B Company) on the 30th as reinforcements after a battle at Pozieres in which Lieutenant Blackburn earned his V.C. On the 19th August 1916 the 10th Battalion (B and C Company) relieved the 3rd Battalion. At 0600 on the 20th August 1916 they were ordered to attack the enemy’s trenches and doing so encountered heavy shelling. Richard Roberts died with his brother Stanley. His documents state “Killed in the Field in France in the vicinity of Pozieres 20/8/16”
The family was told that the two brothers were killed along with two other soldiers by a shell explosion as they were running across a field attacking the enemy trenches.
In 1929 Richard body was found and re-buried at Serre Road No 2 Plot 28 Row B Grave 27. Richard’s damaged disc was sent home to his mother Annie Roberts.
Date of Death: 20/8/16
Age at Death: 21
Cemetery: Serre Road No 2 Plot 28 Row B Grave 27
