4th Light Horse Regiment
Memorial Association
331 Sgt Alexander James Robb
War was declared on 4 Aug 1914. Alexander James Robb was living at Mansfield Victoria. He was a 34 year old engineer, married with one child. He is remembered as being a very good sportsman, playing cricket in the summer and umpiring Australian Rules football in the winter months. Alexander put his affairs in order and enlisted on 20 Aug. He was part of the first contingent of volunteers to leave Mansfield. His four years of service in the Victorian Mounted Rifles may have led to his registration in the 4th Light Horse Regiment as number 331.
At Broadmeadows camp his medical form has him as 11 stone 11 pounds, 5 feet 63/4 inches. His hair was brown and his eyes were “yellowish”.
Alexander was part of the first contingent of 4th LHR troops that left Broadmeadows on the 19 Oct aboard the T.S.S. Wiltshire, setting off from Princes’ Pier, Port Melbourne, to Albany WA, where they waited anchored off shore for the arrival of the rest of the First Convoy Their onward journey took them to Aden, Columbo, the Suez Canal, Port Said and finally to Cairo, arriving on 11 Dec. A very interesting trip for the boys, with a few days stop-
At Mena camp there was daily desert training and the watering of the horses. Alexander did get leave in the New Year to visit Cairo. On 23 Jan a squadron field training program was implemented and beginning from 9 Feb lice checking parades were carried out every Tuesday and Saturday.
On 3 May the Regiment moved from Mena to Heliopolis camp and the next day sailed to the Island of Imbros, without their horses. On 21 May they were landed at ANZAC Cove.
At ANZAC Cove, on 28 Nov 15, Alexander was promoted to Lance Corporal.
In Dec 1915 the finely planned evacuation of ANZAC Cove was taking place. The Regiment received its movement orders and within only two hours, on 12 Dec, was on Princess Ena sailing for camp Sarpi on Lemnos. On 27 Dec the Caledonia took them to Alexandria where they marched to Racecourse Camp at Heliopolis for a period of R&R.
After the depredations of the fighting at Gallipoli the 4th Light Horse personnel were split into two groups. Half went to fight along the Suez Canal. Alexander became part of the other group, destined for France. On 16 Mar 1916 the 2nd ANZAC Corps, with their horses, sailed to Marseille, arriving on 27 Mar. By 16 Apr they had moved north to the small village of Strazeele where they were billeted out to live with the local people.
On 7 Jul Alexander was promoted to Sergeant Orderly Room Clerk.
After five months of fighting against the Germans Alexander was granted leave from 28 Oct to 10 Nov. He returned to find that the snow had brought a lull in the conflict. Nine days into the New Year the troops were moved 50 miles westward on horse-
On 6 Jun 2017 the Battle of Messines began. After the horrors of Broodseinde and Passchendaele Ridge, Alexander was granted leave from 1 to 14 Aug. In Dec 1917 freezing weather set in, with plenty of snow. During winter they camped between Zonnebeke and Broodseinde. Fighting continued over Jan and Feb 1918 with the Germans using “Gas” as a weapon. The battle was around places called Ypres and Arras towards Cambrai.
In Spring the unit’s was renamed to 22nd Corps Mounted Troops. From 21 Feb to 9 Mar 1918 Alexander was able to have leave in England.
From 10 to 30 Apr the 22nd Corps Mounted Troops were involved in action at Ypres, near Hollebeke in the vicinity of Mount Kemmel. From 1 Apr the 22nd Corps Mounted Troops were able to rest after such a long period of fighting. At the end of May the Germans attacked again and in early Jun the 22nd Corps Mounted Troops moved to the Somme, at Amiens. The troops then travelled by train to a position beyond Rheims and then to the Marne front line.
On 19 Jul 1918 Alexander was awarded the Croix de Guerre by the King of the Belgians.
At the end of Jul the 22nd Corps Mounted Troops moved to hold a line from Bligny, the River Ardre to Montagne de Bligny. From that position the troops then advanced in Aug from Marne to the Somme.
On 20 Aug Alexander was sick enough to be hospitalised for three days.
The Allies were pushing the Germans back in the final stages of the war when, on 26 Sep 1918, Sgt Alexander Robb, embarked for Australia on the ship “Tanarto”.
Returning to Mansfield he resumed his involvement in the sport. Over time Alexander and his family moved to Yea and then to Footscray, where he lived until his passing in 1936.
Proudly presented by Alexander’s grandson, Allan Robb
Croix de Guerre
Telegram announcing Alexander’s C de G, awarded for “conspicuous service”
A page from the service records of Sgt Robb, listing his medals and the date of his discharge