L/Cpl
Robert Hallett Tunkin
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 08/02/1896 |
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Place of birth: Wentworth, New South Wales, Australia |
General information
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Last known residence: Etinwanda Avenue, Mildura, Victoria, Australia |
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Profession: Station Hand - Farm Hand |
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Religion: Church of England |
Army information
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Country: Australia |
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Force: Australian Imperial Force |
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Rank: Lance Corporal |
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Service number: 2529 |
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Enlistment date: 15/07/1915 |
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Enlistment place: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
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Units: — Australian Infantry, 47th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 12/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Defy Crossing, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 21 |
Cemetery
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Tyne Cot Cemetery Plot: III Row: A Grave: 1 |
Distinctions and medals 4
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1914-15 Star Medal |
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British War Medal Medal |
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Military Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 3
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place | ||
| #3 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Robert Hallett Tunkin was born Feb. 8, 1896, in Wentworth, New South Wales, the son of Frank Tunkin and Martha Dacey Tunkin. He came from a large family of 12 children. He entered military service in July 1915 and left the Australian mainland in November 1915. He first joined the 15th Bn. but in March 1916 he joined the 47th Bn. Australian Infantry, part of the 12th Australian Brigade, 4th Australian Division.
With this unit he obtained the Military Medal, a high award for gallantry in the field for his actions during the Battle of Messines. His citation read as follows: 'At Messines between 7th and 11th June 1917 during attack and capture of the final objective Private Tunkin was a Linesman. Under very heavy fire he constantly patrolled and repaired telephone lines and kept up communications which to a great extent were responsible for success of the operations.'
On 12 October 1917, the 4th Australian Division took part in the First Battle of Passchendaele, part of the Third Battle of Ypres which had been in progress since 31 July 1917. The objective of the 4th Australian Division was to advance over the Broodseinde Ridge to Keiberg Spur to flank the 3rd Division which was advancing north of the railroad towards Passchendaele. The 47th Battalion was given the task of capturing and holding the red line. This ran roughly from the railroad embankment to Assyria. Then the 48th Battalion would continue the attack.
The attack faced immediate setbacks. The soldiers were tired from marching through the mud. The battalion headquarters, located in a bunker on the Broodseinde ridge, was hit by German artillery shells. Almost all the signalmen and couriers were casualties, making further communication more difficult during the battle. Robert was one of them. According to an eyewitness, he lived for about two hours before succumbing to his wounds.
The Germans retreated, but once the 48th Battalion advanced they faced heavy German fire from Vienna Cottage. This was in the 3rd Division's sector, but heavy resistance had prevented them from advancing. The German position at Vienna Cottage was eliminated, but finally, for lack of support, 47th and 48th Battalions had to retreat to their starting positions. Both battalions lost a total of nearly 1,000 soldiers.
Robert Hallett Tunkin was temporarily buried in close proximity to the Headquarters, between Dash Crossing and Defy Crossing, near the railroad embankment.He currently rests in Tyne Cot Cemetery. He was 21 years old. His parents had the following placed in the newspaper.
He could not have loved us half so much
Had he not loved honor better.
Inserted by his sorrowing parents,
sisters and brother.
With this unit he obtained the Military Medal, a high award for gallantry in the field for his actions during the Battle of Messines. His citation read as follows: 'At Messines between 7th and 11th June 1917 during attack and capture of the final objective Private Tunkin was a Linesman. Under very heavy fire he constantly patrolled and repaired telephone lines and kept up communications which to a great extent were responsible for success of the operations.'
On 12 October 1917, the 4th Australian Division took part in the First Battle of Passchendaele, part of the Third Battle of Ypres which had been in progress since 31 July 1917. The objective of the 4th Australian Division was to advance over the Broodseinde Ridge to Keiberg Spur to flank the 3rd Division which was advancing north of the railroad towards Passchendaele. The 47th Battalion was given the task of capturing and holding the red line. This ran roughly from the railroad embankment to Assyria. Then the 48th Battalion would continue the attack.
The attack faced immediate setbacks. The soldiers were tired from marching through the mud. The battalion headquarters, located in a bunker on the Broodseinde ridge, was hit by German artillery shells. Almost all the signalmen and couriers were casualties, making further communication more difficult during the battle. Robert was one of them. According to an eyewitness, he lived for about two hours before succumbing to his wounds.
The Germans retreated, but once the 48th Battalion advanced they faced heavy German fire from Vienna Cottage. This was in the 3rd Division's sector, but heavy resistance had prevented them from advancing. The German position at Vienna Cottage was eliminated, but finally, for lack of support, 47th and 48th Battalions had to retreat to their starting positions. Both battalions lost a total of nearly 1,000 soldiers.
Robert Hallett Tunkin was temporarily buried in close proximity to the Headquarters, between Dash Crossing and Defy Crossing, near the railroad embankment.He currently rests in Tyne Cot Cemetery. He was 21 years old. His parents had the following placed in the newspaper.
He could not have loved us half so much
Had he not loved honor better.
Inserted by his sorrowing parents,
sisters and brother.
Sources 4
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Australian Red Cross Wounded and Missing Enquiry Bureau (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), RCDIG1064166). https://www.awm.gov.au Sources used |
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Deayton Craig , Battle Scarred: the 47th Battalion in the First World War (Newport Big Sky publishing Ltd, 2011).156-188. Sources used |
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First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920 (National Archives of Australia, Canberra (NAA), B2455, Tunkin, Robert Hallett). https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/ Sources used |
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McCarthy, Chris. Passchendaele: The Day by Day Account (Londen: Arms & Armour Press, 2018), 129-132. Sources used |
More information 4
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The AIF Project (UNSW Canberra) https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=305597 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/7636463 |
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/464959 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=ca5c3c07-dfd1-46da-9cc3-add58cf5240c |