Name
Robert Henry Coles
1892
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
23/08/1918
25
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
5075
Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
11th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
HEATH CEMETERY, HARBONNIERES
IV. C. 13.
France
Headstone Inscription
"GRANT HIM ETERNAL REST O LORD"
UK & Other Memorials
Cheshunt Town Memorial, Church of St Mary the Virgin Memorial Cheshunt
Pre War
Robert Henry Coles was born in Kingswinford, Staffordshire, in 1892, son of Henry Richard Coles a, Master Plumber and Jane Coles (nee Strachan). One of nine children although one died in infancy.
Baptised on 3rd July 1892, in the Parish of Kingswinford, Staffordshire.
1901 Census records Robert aged 8, living with his parents and six siblings at, 8 Wyndham Square, Plymouth, Devon. The family had a live-in Domestic Servant.
1911 census records Robert (18), employed as a Market Gardener, living with his parents, and five siblings, still at 8 Wyndham Square.
On 30th August 1912, Robert and his elder brother Frederick William Coles emigrated to Australia, sailing from the Port of London to Fremantle, aboard the RMS “Orvieto”.
The family would later move from Plymouth to live at “Ivanhoe” Cromwell Avenue, Cheshunt, Herts.
Wartime Service
Robert enlisted at Beverley, Western Australia, in February 1916, aged 22. His occupation was a Dairy Hand, and his address was the “White Hart Hotel”, Beverley, WA. Posted to the 11th Australian Infantry Battalion, 16th Reinforcements with the service number 5075. On completion of his basic training Robert embarked at Fremantle, WA, aboard HMAT A9 “Shropshire” on 30th March 1916, arriving at Suez, Egypt, on 24th April 1916. On completion of further training, Robert sailed from Alexandria, Egypt, aboard HMT “Tunisian”, on 29th May 1916, arriving at Marseilles, France, on 3rd June 1916, from there he travelled by train to the Base Depot at Etaples, arriving on 7th June 1916. He was taken ill on 2nd July, with Periostitis (Inflammation of the membrane surrounding a bone) and admitted to No 26. General Hospital, Etaples, from there back to England for treatment. His service record shows on the completion of his treatment he was at the AIF War Chest Club in London and at the AIF Admin HQ, London, until May 1918, this may have been as he was medically unfit for war service.
On 30th May 1918 he sailed from Folkstone, Kent, for Le Havre, France, re-joining his Battalion in the field on 7th June 1918. He was killed instantly by an enemy shell on 23rd August 1918, at Proyart Valley. His service record states “He was buried in a little Cemetery in Proyart Valley. Map location 1/4000 Sheet 62d. R. 14. B, 4. 0. (Proyart)”. His body was later exhumed and reburied in the CWGC Heath Cemetery, Harbonnieres, France.
Additional Information
His father, Mr. H. R. Coles, "Ivanhoe" Cromwell Avenue, Cheshunt, Herts., ordered his headstone inscription: ""GRANT HIM ETERNAL REST O LORD". It is believed his elder brother Frederick William Coles enlisted in the AIF in April 1915, using the alias Robert Henry Coles (his brother’s name). Posted to the 12th Battalion, with the service number 2162. He survived the war. Their service records are both in one file and are available to view on-line at the Australian Nation Archives. www.naa.gov.au
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Jonty Wild
