Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Police Station, Port Melbourne, Victoria

Numbering eight, the children of Martha Furlong and Thomas Robertson were born in Melbourne, with the exception of the first and third siblings, Ballarat born Ethel Maud [1881-1849] and John Spencer [1885-1942]. Second born, William Thomas Robertson arrived in Melbourne in 1883. With the deaths of four children registered in suburban South Yarra [1888-1894] 11 years of age, William Robertson was not a stranger to the grief and suffering associated with death.

Citing 249 days previous service with the South Africa Light Horse, 18 years 7 months of age, William Thomas Robertson enlisted in 6th Battalion Commonwealth Horse for service in South Africa on 26 April 1902.
Residing with his parents at 10 Tivoli Road, South Yarra, 9 September 1883, South Yarra, Victoria born Will Robertson worked as a plumber prior to this enlistment whilst serving with the Victorian Field Artillery Cadets. However, he was found unfit, due to bad teeth, for South African service. Dental hygiene perhaps saving Will Robertson involvement in a war with poor logistics, combined with disease, ensuring a tough campaign. Often going without basic needs of food and water, enteric fever proving a constant drain on man power against a capable enemy.

Marrying, in 1907, Lilian Beatrice Strickland, by occupation a driver, William Thomas Robertson, on 22 August 1913, joined the Victoria Police Force, commencing training at Bourke District Depot.

Transferring, on 4 November 1913, for foot patrol duty in the Melbourne District, Constable Will Robertson, on 2 February 1914, transferred to Footscray ‘to fill a vacancy’.

Serving under the supervision of Senior Constable Charles Herbert Bird, Will Robertson, was charged with disciplinary offences, including being found asleep on night shift, resulting in a fine of Thirty Shillings. Senior Constable Charles Bird provided two sons to World War I, Rupert Herbert Townley Bird [1896-1959], together with Godfrey Charles Bird [1892-1950].

Transferring, on 22 July 1914, following 18 months Footscray duty, to South Melbourne, ‘for the good of the service’, Will Robertson, on 7 August 1914 was sent to Port Melbourne police station ‘to fill a vacancy’.

Enlisting in the AIF, at Broadmeadows on 18 August 1914, 180 cm, 81 kg, Will Robertson, initially assigned to 1st Light Horse Headquarters however, on 24 February 1915, transferred to 1st Light Horse Regiment. Being raised at Roseberry Park, Sydney, New South Wales, in August 1914, Will Robertson becoming one of the initial appointments to the first mounted formation committed by Australia to the First World War.

Embarking, on 21 October 1914, from Melbourne, Victoria, on board Transport A3 Orvieto, the Regiment steaming, in convoy, via Sydney, New South Wales, from whence the majority of the enlistments were raised, to Egypt. Disembarking, on 8 December 1914, at Alexandria, Will Robertson, two months following, transferred to the Regiment.

Storming ashore the Gallipoli Peninsula, on 25 April 1915, the infantry battalions of the 1st AIF Division sustained devastating casualties. Digging in, trench warfare ensued, casualties continued, however disease soon outstripped wounds as the major cause of the battalion’s losses.

Receiving 6 May 1915 orders to proceed to Gallipoli, to reinforce the depleted infantry, the 1st Light Horse Regiment, at 6 a.m., six days later, landed 26 officers and 477 men on ANZAC.

Taking over, on 15 May 1915, the trenches at Pope’s Post, at 3.50 a.m., four days later, Turkish troops charged en masse; resulting in fierce hand-to-hand fighting. Killing 11 Lighthorsemen, as well as wounding 17 others, the Turkish Army sustained 5,000 casualties.

Planning, in early August, a series of attacks at ANZAC, to draw enemy units away from a proposed Suvla Bay landing by British units, the taking of the Turkish stronghold at Lone Pine, by attacking the Nek, as well as the Turkish trenches opposite Pope’s Hill, cutting the Peninsula in half.

At 4.30 a.m., on 7 August 1915, the Regiment was ordered to attack the Turkish ‘Chessboard’ trenches north of Bloody Angle. In cooperation with units at Walker’s Post [the Nek] on the left, as well as Quinn’s Post on the right, the prime objective being a hill, Baby 700, overlooking Lone Pine trenches.

Directing the attack, Major T W Glasgow, commandant of Pope’s Post, ordered two squadrons, comprising 200 men, ‘to go over the top’. Coinciding, the 8th Light Horse, charging across the Nek, with fixed bayonet, attached to empty rifles, to be loaded only after occupying enemy trenches. However, under orders not to fire without an Officer’s authority.

Briefly describing the attack, the Regimental diary records –

“August 7, 1915, Pope’s Post – General attack by our forces along the whole line. Our attack was made at 04:30 from Pope’s Hill on the Chessboard trenches N[orth] of Bloody Angle. The attack was gallantly led by Major J. M. Reid. The storming party reached the third line of trenches, occupied about 30 yards of them and held them for 2 hours but the enemy counter attacked in great force. They severely bombed the forward party and forced them to retire. Lt G.H.L. Harris, displayed great gallantry in leading 1st line of storming party and although wounded remained in the foremost position gained until retirement. 566 Cpl Keys, T J, 437 Pte Tancred, R C, 397 Pte Barrow, F displayed great bravery in carrying bombs to the storming party over ground swept by machine gun and rifle fire.”

The Regimental diary further records – 15 men killed, as well as 98 wounded, together with 35 missing in action. A Court of Inquiry later found that the missing men, including 32 years of age, Victoria Police Constable in peace, Australian Army Private, in warfare, William Thomas Robertson, were assumed to have been killed in action.

William Thomas Robertson

In loving memory of our dear brother Private W. T. Robertson, 8th Light Horse, killed in action at Pope's Hill, August 7, 1915.
Our laughing, happy Will.

Brigadier-General Glasgow wrote of him:- "He was a grenadier in our front line, and performed deeds of exceptional gallantry and fearlessness, and died fighting nobly."
A true Anzac

lnserted by his two brothers, Spencer and Roy, and only sister, Mrs. N. W. Skewes.

Survived by wife, Lilian Beatrice, whom remarried in 1918, Private William Thomas Robertson, without a known grave, is commemorated at the Lone Pine Memorial [Panel 2], Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey.

Nephews, Donald Spencer [1911-1979], Maurice Lachlan [1913-1976], as well as Neil Pratt [1914-?], sons of John Spencer Robertson, fought in World War II