Henry James ROBERTS

Henry James Roberts was born at Traralgon, Victoria, and worked as a groom. His signed attestation, dated 28 September 1914, gives his age as nineteen. He was unmarried and named his father Edward Roberts as his next of kin. The family contact address was later amended from the Commercial Hotel at Heyfield to Church Street, Traralgon. He reported eighteen months of earlier cadet service.

Serving as Private 403 with the 2nd Veterinary Section, Roberts transferred to the 8th Mobile Veterinary Section at Maadi on 22 March 1916. His service in Egypt and Palestine included periods of hospital treatment for influenza, enteritis and malaria. He became a corporal, and served temporarily as sergeant from 8 May 1918 before reverting to corporal when sent to hospital on 8 June.

After treatment for malaria and convalescence, he returned through the training depot at Moascar and rejoined the 8th Mobile Veterinary Section in July 1918. He was sent to hospital again on 5 August and admitted to the 66th Casualty Clearing Station on 7 August. His casualty form explicitly records death from bacillary dysentery on 20 August 1918. A separate statement of service confirms the same date.

He was buried in Jerusalem Military Cemetery on 20 August, with the burial return giving Section B, grave 106 and the officiating chaplain as the Reverend R. Mayall. This is the contemporary burial reference; his commemorative cemetery is now listed in this collection as Jerusalem War Cemetery.