James Roberts (1912 - 2002)

Born 3 Sep 1912 in Goodwood, South Australia, Australia

Ancestors

Husband of Gwenneth Ivy (Pocock) Roberts — married 15 Jul 1940 in North Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

Husband of Bernice Nash (Rogers) Roberts — married 27 Jul 1946 in St. Augustine's Anglican Church, Unley, South Australia, Australia

Descendants

Died 27 Feb 2002 at age 89 in Daw Park, South Australia, Australia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Dave Roberts [send private message]

Biography

James Roberts was born on 3rd September 1912, the eldest child of James Roberts and Edith Susan Giltrow ^[1]

James Roberts married Gwenneth Ivy Pocock on 15th July 1940 at North Adelaide, South Australia as announced in The Advertiser on 27th July 1940.

"Roberts—Pocock.—On the 15th of July, the marriage of Gwenneth Ivy, third daughter of the late Mrs. A. E. Pocock, to James, eldest son of the late Mr. and Mrs. J. Roberts, was celebrated at North Adelaide, the Rev. Tilbrook officiating."^[2]

Jim Roberts was a Prisoner of War during World War II.

He enlisted in the AIF during WWII.
Name: James Roberts
Service No.: SX9239
Date of Birth: 3 Sep 1912
Place of Birth: Cabra, SA
Date of Enlistment: 20 Jul 1940
Place of Enlistment: Adelaide, SA
Next of Kin: G Roberts
File is open for access but not yet digitised (24 Apr 2018).
Jim was a private in the 2nd/3rd Machine Gun Batallion. He served in Syria and then Java where he was captured and became a prisoner of the Japanese for three and a half years. He worked on the infamous Burma Siam Railway Line. He enlisted 5 days after getting married and the day he arrived back in Australia, at Perth, he was informed that his wife had just died.^[3]

His wife Gwen died of diphtheria at the Infectious Diseases Hospital on 15th October 1945.^[4]

Jim was mentioned in the book "Behind Bamboo" by Rohan Rivett where he was described as "a true Australian". Rohan Rivett signed Jim's copy of the book on 12th May 1946, wishing him a bright and successful future to atone for the misery and sorrow of the past. Refer photo.

James Roberts married Bernice Nash Rogers on 27th July 1946 at St. Augustine's Church, Unley, South Australia, Australia as announced in The Advertiser on 25th July 1946.

"Wedding

The marriage of Bernice Rogers, of Malvern, daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Rogers, with James Roberts, of Unley, son of the late Mr. and Mrs. James Roberts, will be celebrated at St. Augustine's Church, Unley, at 3p.m. on Saturday."^[5]

Jim and Bernice Roberts had three children.

1. Elizabeth Anne Roberts b. 1948
2. Carolyn Jane Roberts b. 1949
3. David James Roberts b. 1952

When he enlisted in 1940, Jim was working as a nurseryman. After the war he had his own business, "Rotary Hoe Specialists" before becoming a greenkeeper, firstly, at the Unley Park Bowling and Tennis Club and later at Burnside RSL Bowling Club.^[6]

James Roberts died on 27 February 2002 in the Repatriation General Hospital, Daw Park, South Australia, Australia.^[7] His remains were cremated and interred at Centennial Park Cemetery, Pasadena, South Australia.^[8]

Sources

1. ↑ SA BDM Registration Index Births 1912 892/270 James Roberts, James Roberts(F), Edith Susan Giltrow(M), district Adelaide; Genealogy SA database [1] Accessed 20 November 2016.
2. ↑ The Advertiser, Adelaide, South Australia, 27 July 1940. NLA trove newspapers [2]. Accessed 20 November 2016.
3. ↑ NAA: B883, SX9239; National Archives Australia: 6348209 Accessed 24 Apr 2018.
4. ↑ SA BDM Registration Index Deaths 1945 693/4913 Gwenneth Ivy Roberts, James Roberts(H), district Port Adelaide; GenealogySA database [3] Accessed 20 November 2016
5. ↑ "The Advertiser", Adelaide, South Australia, 25 July 1946; NLA trove newspapers [4] Accessed 20 November 2016.
6. ↑ First hand knowledge of Dave Roberts
7. ↑ First hand knowledge of Dave Roberts
8. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/201382210/james-roberts) accessed 16 September 2021, memorial page for James Roberts (3 Sep 1912–27 Feb 2002), Find A Grave: Memorial #201382210, citing Centennial Park Cemetery, Pasadena, Mitcham City, South Australia, Australia ; Maintained by J (contributor 50048377) .