Lieutenant Tom ROBERTSON Clicking on Photo will return to Page N,O,P,Q,R

ROBERTSON Lieutenant Thomas 15th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force Born 27th April 1894 at Rockhampton, Queensland [Birth certificate 94/009819, Qld] Educated: State School and Brisbane Grammar School, Brisbane, Qld. Single; Salesman, of Mowbray Street [Terrace?], East Brisbane, Qld Next of Kin listed as: Father; Robert Cochran Robertson. Mother; Sophia Robertson (nee Stephens), of 'Wyetah', Mowbray Terrace East Brisbane, Qld Photos of Lieutenant Robertson are known to exist in the following locations: BGS*. Group photo 15th Battalion Unit History p18 (facing). Sydney Mail 19 May 1915 p8

Died of wounds
Tuesday, 27th April 1915
at Johnston's Jolly, central Anzac sector,
on his 21st birthday






15th Battalion AIF

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No Known Grave

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Notes:

Brother, J.S. Robertson, of 'Wyetah', Mowbray Terrace, East Brisbane, Queensland

Casualty list Sydney Town & Country Journal 12 May 1915 p16: 'Wounded in action.'
Father's name is listed as different in following account:
Lieut. T. Robertson is the son of Mr. Herbert Robertson, of East Brisbane, well-known in bowling circles.' (Kalgoorlie Miner 6 May 1915 p5).
*Photo in 'Annals of The Brisbane Grammar School.'

Killed, on his 21st birthday, while retiring from a forward post to the main Australian lines:
'At dusk, however, a party had been sent out on to the Jolly by the portion of the 15th Battalion near the Razorback. This party, 25 men under Lieutenant Robertson, took position on the south-eastern edge of the Jolly, dug a circular, shallow trench, and remained there all night. It was still there when the Turks attacked at 7.30 a.m. next day. The Queenslanders watched them coming in numbers up Legge Valley, from which, covered by intense machine-gun fire, the enemy attacked. On reaching a point immediately below the trench, the Turks called upon Robertson's party to surrender, but he refused. He had instructed his men that, when the machine-guns stopped, they should pour three rounds of rapid fire into the enemy and then withdraw to the Australian line. By this means certainly seven, one or two more, of Robertson's party got back ; he and the majority, however, were killed. Their resistance explains the enemy's claim, not previously understood, that on April 27th he 'captured' Johnston's Jolly.' (Bean V1 lii - liii)

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