24792
GARDNER (GARDINER), Robert Cornelius
| Service Numbers: | 145, 240, S213369 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 19 August 1914, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 3rd Light Horse Regiment |
| Born: | Adelaide, South Australia, 6 April 1880 |
| Home Town: | Adelaide, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Surveyor's assistant |
| Died: | 1953, cause of death not yet discovered, place of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
AIF Cemetery, West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide, South Australia Section: KO, Road: 11, Site No: 41 |
| Memorials: | Adelaide Holy Trinity Church WW1 Honour Board 2 |
Boer War Service
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Trooper, 145, 4th Imperial Bushmen | |
|---|---|---|
| 11 Sep 1901: | Honoured Mention in Dispatches |
World War 1 Service
| 19 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 240, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Oct 1914: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 240, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Port Lincoln, Adelaide | |
| 22 Oct 1914: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 240, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '1' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Port Lincoln embarkation_ship_number: A17 public_note: '' | |
| 11 Nov 1918: | Involvement Corporal, 240 |
World War 2 Service
| 24 May 1940: | Enlisted S213369, Cheltenham, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 25 May 1940: | Involvement Sergeant, S213369, Homeland Defence - Militia and non deployed forces | |
| 27 Jun 1940: | Discharged Sergeant, S213369, medically unfit; South Australia |
Robert Cornelius Gardner
Born Cornelius Robert Gardner in 1880 in Adelaide to Julia (Ferrett) and Daniel F. Gardner, his father died in 1882. His mother then became the first matron of Wakefield Street Hospital for 2 years. She married Horace Edgar Duncan, a hotelier in 1885. Robert had an older sister Julia, and half-siblings Horace Walter Duncan (1885-1965, served WW1 and WW2) and Dorothy (b.1891). The family had the Gresham Hotel, North Terrace.
Robert, as he was known, served in the Boer War, 1900-1901, with the 4th Imperial Contingent (SA Imperial Bushmen) - mounted rifles. In the "Advertiser", 12/9/1901 he was listed in dispatches for "special and meritorious service in the field".
In August 1914, aged 35, he enlisted for WW1, giving his occupation as surveyor's assistant, and his qualification as signaller. He joined B Squadron, 3rd Light Horse Regiment. His service number was 240. He served at Gallipoli, in Egypt and France. On discharge, his unit was 51st Battery, 13th Field Artillery Brigade.
In 1919 he married Florence Stanley in Adelaide. They lived at St Peters, Carrieton and in the Barossa. A son Robert was born (1923), and daughters Jule (1928) and Roma. They finally moved to Newstead (St Morris).
In May 1940, aged 60, Robert C. enlisted for WW2, as a Sergeant cook, Service Number S213369, but was discharged as medically unfit a few weeks later. His son Robert (S332484) died aged 18 in 1941 in Tennant Creek, NT in an accident while serving with 8 Darwin Overland Maintenance Force.
Robert Cornelius Gardner died 5-2-1953, and his wife in 1970.
Submitted 9 September 2014 by Joan Soroka
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