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Corporal Robert Webster

Commemorated at
Given name
R
Family name
Webster
Gender
Male
Service number
3937
Conflicts
First World War, 1914–18
Campaign
Somme 1916 - 1917
Fate
Killed in action (KIA)
Fate date
16 August 2016
Additional information
Last held rank
Corporal
Unit at embarkation
3rd Battalion
Service
Australian Army - First Australian Imperial Force (1st AIF)
Veteran Notes/Bio

3937 Robert Webster, 22, was a carriage builder having completed a five-year apprenticeship with Ritchie Bros. of Auburn. On enlistment, he nominated his mother Cecilia of 22 Mary Street, Auburn as his next-of-kin. Enlisting 24 August 1915, Webster had a distressingly simple record of service in the AIF. He embarked on the Medic in December 1915. On board were fellow Auburn Memorial men William Harris, Alexander Hickin, Leslie Quinn, and former Auburn Mayor William James Johnson. In Egypt, Webster was allocated to the 3rd Battalion, First Australian Division and he moved off with them to France, arriving at the port of Marseilles on 28 March 1916. The First Australian Division was launched into the Battle of the Somme at Pozieres on 23 July 1916 and Webster was killed in action on 16 August 1916, just 10 days after being promoted to corporal. The body of Corporal Webster was never found. His name was inscribed on the Australian National Memorial at Villers Bretonneux. Webster’s mother received her son’s effects: wallet, letters, photos, identity disk, cigarette case, piece of ring, notebook, necktie, writing case. Webster’s father was alive and living in Victoria in 1922 but he wrote to the authorities saying that his son’s medals could be issued to his mother.

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