Robert Bruce NELSON

Robert Nelson was born on 5 March 1887 in Hawthorn, Victoria. His parents were Robert and Sarah (née Bruce) Nelson. He attended Scotch from 1901 to 1902.

Robert was a bookkeeper when he enlisted on 24 October 1916 at Blackboy Hill, Western Australia. He served in the 16th Battalion with the rank of Private. His Regimental Number was 7276.

Robert died on 19 May 1918 at Villers-Bretonneux, France. He was 31 years of age.

Service record

Robert was just 5 feet 5 inches (165 cm) tall on enlistment. He was initially allotted to a training depot and then to the 24th Reinforcements to the 16th Battalion, a Western Australian unit. He embarked at Fremantle on 29 January 1917. En route he was sent ill to the ship’s hospital for three weeks (see below). He arrived in Devonport, England in late March 1917. He was hospitalised again with the same sickness within days of arrival, and was only discharged 55 days later, on 26 May.

After a period of training he travelled overseas on 13 August 1917, and finally joined the 16th Battalion in Belgium on 31 August 1917. He served with the unit for nearly nine months, until killed in action in France on 19 May 1918. His Lieutenant wrote of him: ‘He was a good soldier, and always did his duty well. He died doing his duty as an honourable and true soldier.’

Robert Nelson has no known grave but is commemorated at the Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, France.

Photographs and Documents:

Robert spent three weeks in the ship’s hospital on the way to England.

Sources:

1. Australian War Memorial – Roll of Honour
2. Mishura Scotch Database
3. National Archives of Australia – B2455, NELSON ROBERT BRUCE
4. Scotch Collegian 1919
5. The AIF Project - https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=221707