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Wife: Margaret Thompson Robertson. nee:.
John Robertson enlisted with the 4th Reinforcements, 33rd Battalion AIF on the 22nd of June
and left Sydney on board HMAT A "Borda" 1916 and returned
to Australia on the 7th of July 1919.
Informant; Private: James 2432 Robertson 33rd Battalion Private
3007 William (Doom) ARKINS was hit by a shell when in billets early in the morning, shell
seemed to explode right under him. He was taken away from Billets on a streacher but I don't
think he was alive long I saw this. He was wounded at Passchendaele and not long back.
Informant; Sergeant: 2432 Eric George SHELDON "We
were in billets in Villers-Brettoneux and ARKINS was hit by a piece of shell when in his
billet. I heard the shell burst and went in to the billet and found him unconscious.
Corporal: 3069 Henry Dayrell HERDSON C Coy, 12th Platoon, 33rd Battalion was under the same
blankets with ARKINS, and was not touched.
Fritz attacked that day and we had to go out, but I heard that ARKINS never regained consciousness
and died in the dressing station in Villers Brettoneux of which Captain:
Melrose Holtam MAILER, Medical Officer 33rd Battalion was in charge. ARKINS as in C
Company 12th Platoon, and was a Lewis Gunner, and a very fine chap. He was a School Teacher at
home, but I do not know where I should think he was 30 or so.
James was a married farmer from "Arrawatta" Inverell, N.S.W. upon enlistment.
(Australian National Archives)
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