Lance Corporal

Robert Howard

Robert Howard was born on the 27th of May 1876 in Coomera, Queensland, to Mr John William Cornelius Howard and Mrs Maria Howard (nee Binstead) as the eighth of their 9 children. His older siblings (from eldest to youngest) were, John, William, George, Alice, Edward, Charles and Annie, his younger sister was called Charlotte.

Robert Howard was born on the 27th of May 1876 in Coomera, Queensland, to Mr John William Cornelius Howard and Mrs Maria Howard (nee Binstead) as the eighth of their 9 children. His older siblings (from eldest to youngest) were, John, William, George, Alice, Edward, Charles and Annie, his younger sister was called Charlotte. Robert lived to witness the death of two of his sisters, Alice 1890 and Charlotte in 1914; and both of his parents, Maria in 1899 and John in 1908. While the family remained settled in the Coomera area, there is not much evidence that Robert remained here in his adult years. At the time of his enlistment, Robert seems to have been living somewhere in Sydney where he worked as a Sawyer. At his enlistment Robert nominated his sister Annie as his next of kin, who was by that stage married to Mr William Foxwell.

Robert Howard enlisted in the AIF on the 28th of August 1914 and was assigned to the 4th Battalion. The 4th Battalion was among the first infantry units raised for the AIF during the First World War. Like the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalions it was recruited from New South Wales and, together with these other battalions, formed the 1st Brigade. The battalion was raised within a fortnight of the declaration of war in August 1914 and embarked just two months later. After a brief stop in Albany, Western Australia, the Battalion proceeded to Egypt, arriving on 2 December. After training in Egypt the 4th Battalion was sent to participate in the Gallipoli landings and was deployed to ANZAC Cove.

On the 1^st of May 1915 Robert Howard was Wounded in Action at Gallipoli after he was shot in his right shoulder. He returned to Egypt to convalesce and rejoined the 4^th Battalion on the 12^th of June. On the 5^th of August (the eve of his death) he was promoted to Lance Corporal.

Lance Corporal Robert Howard was killed at the battle of Lone Pine on the 6th of August 1915. He was initially reported as missing on the 6^th of August 1915 and on the 22^nd of April 1916 a court of inquiry declared him killed in action. His body was never recovered. The assault on Lone Pine was carried out by the Australian 1st Brigade (which included the 4th Battalion) as part of the wider August Offensive to try and break out of the Gallipoli beachheads. Although considered a success against very determined opposition, the battle decimated the 1st Brigade with total Australian casualties, from the six battalions involved amounting to 2277 Officers and Men.

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