Robert BANHAM

Surname: BANHAM
Christian Names: Robert
Date & Place of Birth: April, 1876, Gravesend, London.
Service Number: 2870
Service Unit: 7/50th Battalion
Date & Place of Enlistment: 5th September, 1916, Port Adelaide, aged 40
Profession prior to Enlistment: Labourer
Date of Return to Aust. & Date of Discharge: N/A
Date Died of Wounds: Yes, 25th April, 1918
Place Died of Wounds: buried Crouy British Cemetery NW of Amiens
Next of Kin (NOK) Address (1911 England Census: Robert 35 (Fireman), Clara 39, Violet 5, Robert George 2, living Maidstone Kent)
Father: Isaac Banham (1826 - 1889)
Mother: Emma Sarah Banham (nee Rimington) (1842 - 1899)
Other: Wife: married 1898, Clara Banham (nee Perkins), Semaphore, Adelaide (1871 - 1951) buried Cheltenham.

Service
France: Yes
Campaign Medals: 1914/15 Star, British War Medal, , Victory Medal
If Died, Plaque & Scroll received by NOK: Yes - Memorial plaque & Memorial scroll
Rank: Private
Kingscote Monument Yes

KI Connection: Unknown, although a George BANHAM (b.1900) marrried Olive May BATES (daughter of Henry William BATES and Katherine JOHNSTONE) in 1923 in Perth, WA

Resolved to be placed on Fallen Soldiers monument at Kingscote. District Council of Kingscote. (1925, September 19). The Kangaroo Island Courier (Kingscote, SA : 1907 - 1951), p. 2. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article191554635

http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/Imagine.asp?B=3048054 plus 64 more documents

Death index

Given Name(s): Robert
Last Name: BANHAM
Death Date: 25 Apr 1918
Gender: M
Age: 42y
Approx. Birth Year: 1876
Marital Status: M
Relative 1: C BANHAM [W]
Relative 2:
Residence: Semaphore
Death Place: [FRA]
District: Adelaide
Symbol: W
Book/Page: 421/126

Death of wife:

Given Name(s): Clara
Last Name: BANHAM
Death Date: 12 Jul 1951
Gender: F
Age: 78y
Approx. Birth Year: 1873
Marital Status: W
Relative 1: Robert BANHAM [DH]
Relative 2:
Residence: Semaphore
Death Place: Gawler
District: Gawler
Symbol:
Book/Page: 770/3961

https://www.genealogysa.org.au

Came to Australia aged 30.  12 years in British Navy.

On April 24th near Abbey Wood, Villers-Bretonneux, I was close to him when he was hit by a shell, which also wounded several others. At the time we were going to take up positions previous to a counter attack and I saw Banham being dressed – he was hit in thigh and head.  Shirt, slim build, English by birth, sandy moustache, aged 35-40.  Had been under me for over 6 months and I always found him a reliable and fearless man.     Sgt P Brokenshire 776, Boulogne 10-9-18

‘B’ Coy, VI Platoon, married. He got hit all over the body by a shell with 5 others on the road to Villers-Bretonneux during the daytime.  He died the next day at a CCS, but I don’t know where he is buried.  Pte W.A Stevens 2786

Whilst coming back from supports from the front line trenches, an enemy shell dropped between two sections of a platoon, killing and wounding several men.  I was acting company clerk at the time and it was reported by our men who picked him up, Banham was killed.  There was an RAMC dressing station about 300 yards away from which stretcher-bearers and ambulances at once rested and picked up the casualties.  We were ordered to move straight onto our position and the casualties were left to the RAMC.  It was on the left and behind Villers-Bretonneux about 4pm on April 24th.

Eyewitness:  Was present.  Pte A.L. Bertam 6528 50th Battalion ‘B’ Coy 7th Platoon.

Descendants of : Robert BANHAM

Generation 1

 1. Robert BANHAM was born ABT 1876 in England and died 25 Apr 1918 in France. He married Clara PERKINS. She was born ABT 1873 in England and died 12 Jul 1951 in Gawler, SA.

Other events in the life of Robert BANHAM
Military: 2870 50th Batt
Census: 1911, Maidstone, Kent, England

Children of Robert BANHAM and Clara PERKINS:
  i.   2.   Violet BANHAM was born ABT 1905 in England and died 05 Feb 1988
  ii.   3.   Robert George BANHAM was born ABT 1909 in England and died 10 Mar 1965 in Woodville, SA

Generation 2

2. Violet BANHAM was born ABT 1905 in England and died 05 Feb 1988. She married James MacFARLANE 22 Dec 1928 in Semaphore, SA. He was born ABT 1903, son of John MacFARLANE.

3. Robert George BANHAM was born ABT 1909 in England and died 10 Mar 1965 in Woodville, SA. He married Margaret Ellen Grace (Rita) ELSTON. She was born ABT 1915 and died 08 Aug 1978, daughter of Edward James ELSTON.

Last updated: 15 July 2024