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Harry Roberts - Information

Harry belonged to a Minto family, where he was born on the 3rd of November 1895 to Mary Ann and Patrick Roberts. Growing up, he served in the Senior Cadets and found work as a traveller. When Harry was 21, he decided to join the colours. He travelled into Darlinghurst to enlist at the Central No. 2 Recruiting Depot Royal Naval House on Grosvenor St. He commenced his training at the Royal Showground Camp and then the M & D Depot in Liverpool. In November, he was made a Private with the 26th Reinforcements, 1st Battalion. He was then sent overseas onboard the HMAT Ulysses, which departed Sydney on the 19th of December 1917.

Harry landed in Southampton, England in mid February 1918. He was then marched into the 1st Training Battalion. In May, he left No. 4 Camp at Sutton Veny for the trenches in France. He shortly joined the 1st Battalion in the field, however, a week later, was rushed to hospital sick. Henry rejoined his unit in early August as the Allies launched an offensive to crush the Germans. The Germans then rushed back to the safety of the Hindenburg Line. The Allies' attacks were successful, etching ever closer to the formidable defensive line. On the 18th of September, the Australian Corps reached the Hindenburg Outpost Line. Here, Harry was shot in his left thigh near Le Verguier. The following month, he was evacuated to England to Beaufort War Hospital in Bristol. He was still in hospital when the war ended. At the end of November, he was moved to the 3rd Auxiliary Hospital in Dartford. After he recovered, he was granted a furlough, and was then sent back to Australia in early January 1919.