Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

Alexander, eldest son of Arthur William & Elizabeth (nee Maxwell) Robbins, was born at Christchurch on 14 May 1895. The New Zealand Gazette for 20 January 1911 lists him as passing the NZ Teachers & Civil Service Exams and Licences. Alexander, third son of John & Ruth Louisa (nee Brighting) Roberts, was born at Lyttelton on 30 January 1973. At the age of 27, when he was employed as Goal Warder, and living at the Railway Hotel, Kaikora, North Dunedin, he enlisted in the 4th Contingent (NZ Rough Riders), Regimental Number 1053, to serve in the Boer War. He sailed from Dunedin on 24 March 1900, and returned 11 July 1901 on the troopship Tafus, with the rank of acting Warrant Officer. He promptly re-enlisted and served with the 8th Contingent, with the rank of Lieutenant. For this service he was awarded the Queen’s Medal with clasps for Rhodesia, Transvaal and Cape Colony South Africa 1901-1902. Alexander continued to serve with the Territorial Force in “N”Battery, NZ artillery at Lyttelton. In 1914 Alexander was living at Oxford Street, Lyttelton, and employed as a seaman for W. Cook, ship owner of Lyttelton. He enlisted on 9 September, at the age of 41, as a Gunner for service with E Battery, NZ Field Artillery. He was described as being single, Anglican, 5 foot 11 inches tall, weighing 161 lbs, chest measuring 34 – 38 inches, having a fair complexion, hazel eyes, fair hair, good teeth and a contracted third finger on his left hand. His mother, Mrs Ruth Louise Roberts of Temuka, was nominated as his next of kin, but this was later changed to his sister, Mrs Nellie Chapman, of 8 MacFarlane Street, Wellington. Alexander left Wellington with the Main Body on 16 October 1914, aboard SS Arawa or Limerick, arriving in Suez, Egypt, on 3 December. After Egyptian service he was posted to Gallipoli and on 8 September, was evacuated to Mudros suffering from dysentery and rheumatics before being sent onwards to hospital in Ismailia. He must have been sent back to Gallipoli shortly after as he suffered a gunshot wound to his hand on 24 September 1915. He was evacuated back to NZ aboard the SS Ulimaroa on 23 March 1916, arriving home on 21 April where he was discharged as medically unfit on 26 May. On 31 July 1917, Alexander once again enlisted into the Military Police. While travelling on the Auckland Express on the evening of 22 August 1917, he fell off at Marton Junction and as run over by the train. Taken to Wanganui Hospital, he died the next day of his injuries, aged 44 years. He is buried in Block 016, Plot 018, Terrace End Cemetery, Palmerston North.

Sources

Ancestry.com.au at http://search.ancestry.com.au/cgi-bin/sse.dll?gl=ROOT_CATEGORY&gss=angs-d&new=1&rank=1&msT=1&gsfn=alexander+william&gsfn_x=1&gsln=roberts&gsln_x=1&MSAV=1&cpxt=1&cp=14&catbucket=rstp; University of New South Wales, Canberra NZEF Project "New Zeland Anzacs in ther Great War 1914-1918" at http://nzef.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=217780; Birth, Death and Marriage Historical Records at https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz; Manawat Times, 25 August 1917, p1, Christchurch Press, 23 August 1917, p2, Otago Daily Times 13 October 1899, p5, & Ashburton Guardian, 31 December 1901, p3 via Papers Past at http://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.