Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

James was born at Bluff, Southland, on 6 February 1882, the only son of James Plomer and Christina Louisa (nee Soutar) Roberts. James (snr) was born at Falmouth in Cornwall, England, in 1851, and died at Waimate on November 24, 1933. On 15 May 1875 he and Christina were married at Riverton, Southland. James snr was a shipwright in Bluff, a shareholder in the Bluff Oyster Merchants Company and a member of the Bluff Harbour Board. But in 1906 he relocated when he took over as manager of the Pukaki Hotel before moving to farm in the Waimate District in 1919. Both James (snr) and his wife Christina are buried in the old Waimate Cemetery.

Young James received his education at the Bluff Primary and Southland High Schools, later becoming a NZ Railways cadet at Bluff. After his parents moved from the town, he transferred to the West Coast where he held the position of Station Master at various stations. Prior to enlisting on 27 July 1916, he had been transferred to the Invercargill Office. His enlistment papers described him as being single, aged 34, Anglican, 5 foot 7 ¾ inches tall, weighing 161 pounds (73kgs), with a chest measuring between 34–37 inches, a fresh complexion, blue eyes and fair hair.

After a fitting farewell on 27 July by a large crowd at the Victoria Hall, Invercargill, chaired by the mayor Mr D McFarlane and local dignitaries, James left for Trentham Camp with the other local men of the 19th Reinforcements. Here he received basic infantry training before moving to Featherston Camp for more in depth training in drill, bayonet fighting, tactics and musketry. He was promoted to Lance Corporal on 15 September, and on 15 November 1916 he sailed as part of the 19th Reinforcements from Wellington aboard HMNZT 68 “Maunganu,” in convoy with HMNZT 69 “Tahiti”. Travelling via the Cape of Good Hope, Cape Province and the Republic of South Africa, they arrived at Plymouth, Devon, England on 29 January 1917. On arrival they were marched into Sling Camp which was the chief NZ training camp situated in the heart of the Salisbury Plains. Training continued in trench warfare, gas and tactics with the 5th Reserve Battalion, 3 NZ Rifle Brigade, C Company. On 29 January 1917 James reverted in rank to Rifleman.

James left for France on 23 March, where he marched into the NZ Depot Etaples. This was the much hated camp by the troops and described by the Welsh poet Wilfred Owen as the “bull ring” because of the brutality of the instructors, many of whom had not served at the front, and the generally harsh conditions. From here on 25 May 1917, he was posted to A Company, 3 Battalion, 3 NZ Rifle Brigade in the field. His unit was at this time preparing for the Battle of Messines, practising the assault behind the lines on similar ground to that they would traverse. During the two preceding years tunnellers had been running shafts under the enemy lines readying them for exploding huge mines at the beginning of the attack. These mines were exploded about 3am on 7 June 1917, followed by the men of nine divisions setting off forward at 3.10am. The 2nd and 3rd Rifle Brigades were soon in the ruins of Messines mopping up dazed and demoralised Germans, finally clearing the area by 7am. The next stage was to push forward 1.5km on the far side of the slope of the ridge. The capture of Messines was achieved with relatively few casualties but as the day wore on German gunners began firing on the newly won areas with increasing ferocity. The troops on the ridge were kept there in anticipation of a major enemy counter-attack which never eventuated, and suffered a trying and costly bombardment. By the time the NZ Division was relieved on 9 June it had suffered 3700 casualties, including 700 dead. One of these casualties was Rifleman James Plomer Roberts, killed on 7 June.

James was later buried in the Messines Ridge British Cemetery, Mesen, West-Vlaadneren, Belgium. After hostilities had ended his father James, who was now living at Durham Street in Waimate, was forwarded his son’s war medals which included the British War Medal and Victory Medals, along with a scroll and plaque. James’ name is commemorated on the Bluff War Memorial, Invercargill Cenotaph, Railways Honour Board at Wellington Railway Station, the Timaru Memorial Wall, Fairlie War Memorial (as R Roberts) and on his parent’s headstone in the Waimate Old Cemetery.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database (November 2015); Military personnel file, Archives New Zealand; New Zealand ANZACs in the Great War 1914-1918 (University of New South Wales) at https://nzef.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=218026; New Zealand War Graves Project at https://www.nzwargraves.org.nz/casualties/james-plomer-roberts; "In memorium" in the Timaru Herald 7 June 1918, courtesy of Papers Past at https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file

Related Documents

No documents available.

Researched and Written by

Ted Hansen, SC branch NZSG

Currently Assigned to

Not assigned.