Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

Robert Reid was born on 27 June 1875 at Timaru and baprized on 24 July 1877 at St Mary’s Anglican Church, Timaru. He was the youngest son of Thomas Reid, who hailed from Portadown, County Armagh, Northern Ireland, and Rosa Jane née Campbell, from County Down, Northern Ireland. Thomas and Rosa marrid in 1863 at Timaru. Thomas Reid and two brothers, James and John, and a sister, Elizabeth, had settled at Timaru. Robert’s mother, Rosa, died when he was not quite two years old. His father died in 1914 at Timaru.

R. C. Campbell was a cook in Wellington City when, with 26 other recruits, he registered voluntarily at the Town Hall and enlisted on 30 December 1916, as Robert Campbell Reid. He had previously been listed on the Wellington Reserve Rolls as Robert Campbell Reid, cook, 10 Watson St. In his personnel file his parents’ names and birth places are incorrect – intentionally or through ignorance? Robert had served with the Royal Navy for 15 years, being discharged when his time expired. He was a cook at the Royal Oak Hotel, single and of Church of England affiliation. Although over 41 years old, he was fit. He gave his address the same as that of his nominated next-of-kin – Mrs E. Polson (friend), 10 Watson Street, Wellington. Driver R. C. Reid embarked with the New Zealand Army Service Corps of the 32ndy Reinforcements, departing for Liverpool, England, on 22 November 1917 per the “Willochra”.

R. C. Reid, 43549, was one of 1127, mostly Wellington men, who were on board the “Briton” (Draft 268) which was due at Wellington on or about 21 July 1919. Thereafter he resided in Wellington, employed as a cook. Robert Campbell Reid died on 9 November 1948 at Wellington, aged 73 years and was buried at Karori Cemetery, Wellington, a services stone marking his grave.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [18 November 2021]; St Mary’s Timaru Baptism record (South Canterbury Branch NZSG transcriptions) [18 November 2021]; Evening Post, 3 January 1917, 14 July 1919 (Papers Past) [21 December 2021]; Karori Cemetery headstone image (Wellington City Council) [21 December 2021]; NZ Electoral Rolls (ancestry.com.au) [18 November 2021; 21 December 2021]

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file

Related Documents

No documents available. 

Researched and Written by

Teresa Scott, SC branch NZSG

Currently Assigned to

Not assigned.