| Regimental number | 962 |
| Place of birth | Shetland, Scotland |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Occupation | Shipwright |
| Address | c/o GPO, Melbourne, Victoria |
| Marital status | Single |
| Age at embarkation | 26 |
| Height | 5' 3.25" |
| Weight | 142 lbs |
| Next of kin | Father, Mr L. Thomson, Cunningsburgh, Shetland, Scotland |
| Enlistment date | |
| Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll | |
| Place of enlistment | Melbourne, Victoria |
| Unit name | 31st Battalion, D Company |
| AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/48/1 |
| Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A62 Wandilla on |
| Rank from Nominal Roll | Private |
| Unit from Nominal Roll | 31st Battalion |
| Fate | Killed in Action |
| Age at death from cemetery records | 26 |
| Place of burial | No known grave |
| Commemoration details | V.C. Corner (Panel No 4), Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, France |
| Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 119 |
| Miscellaneous information from cemetery records | Parents: Lawrence and Margaret THOMSON, Cunningsburgh, Shetland, Scotland |
| Other details |
War service: Egypt, Western Front Disembarked Suez, 7 December 1915. Found guilty, Ferry Post, 10 May 1916, of being absent without leave from Swimming Parade: awarded 1 day's extra Guard duty. Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 16 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 23 June 1916. Reported Missing and Wounded, 20 July 1916. Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 1 August 1917, pronounced fate as 'Killed in Action, 20 July 1916'. Hand-written note on B103: 'Buried in the vicinity of Fleurbaix Sh. 36 NW.' Statement, Red Cross File No 2740409, 353 Sergeant R. BATTERAM, 31st Bn, 24 June 1918: 'About 9 p.m. on [the] 19th, when he was slightly wounded in the arm, he tried to get me back. He helped me put my dressing on [my] leg, then crawled away, as [the] order to retire was given, leaving us poor devils who could not get back. He wanted to carry me, but the shell fire was pretty bad and the distance was great, so he left me.' Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal |
| Miscellaneous details | Name does not appear on Embarkation Roll. |
| Sources | NAA: B2455, THOMSON Robert
Red Cross file 2740409 |
Postal Address:
Po Box 7916
Canberra BC 2610, Australia
Street Address:
Northcott Drive,
Campbell, ACT 2600
