Robert Henry Brome Bond (1909 - 1941)

Born 1909 in New Zealand

Ancestors

Died 27 Nov 1941 at about age 32 in Egypt

Biography

Robert Bond is an Anzac who served in World War Two.

Robert was born in New Zealand in 1909; his parents are Robert Bond and Emma Greaves. He was a School Teacher at Pukengahu, in the district of Stratford, Taranaki, (east of Stratford and Eltham)

As Robert Henry Brome Bond NZ 28883 - he served in New Zealand Artillery, 5 Field Regiment; and went overseas with the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force.

By mid 1941, the 2nd New Zealand Division was stationed in Libya, North Africa as part of the British Eighth Army during Operation Crusader, a two month campaign from mid-November 1941 until mid-January 1942. Their objective was to retake Cyrenaica in eastern Libya, with the objective of pushing the German and Italian forces back until they could lift the siege of Tobruk, where Australian and other Allied troops had been trapped for some time. ^[1]

The Allied forces in North Africa were combined into the Eighth Army for Operation Crusader; then split into two; Thirty and Thirteen corps. Thirty Corps, mainly an armoured Division headed south of Tobruk to engage the enemy armoured forces. The Allied attack began on the 18th November. As British and German tanks engaged, the New Zealanders of Thirteen corps. advanced toward the coast, taking Fort Capuzzo on the 22nd November and pressing onto toward Tobruk. Sollum and Bardia. The 5th New Zealand Brigade was detached to capture the enemy garrison at Sollum. They held defensive positions near Capuzzo, but found themselves in the path of Rommels reinforcements moving in to support the German and Italian positions around Tobruk. The Fifth NZ Brigade bore the brunt of heavy attacks by Rommel’s tanks and infantry. By the 27th November, the Germans had overrun 5th Brigade headquarters at Capuzzo, and many New Zealand's were taken prisoner. ^[2] Corporal Robert Henry Brome Bond, now acting as a Sergeant (Lance-Sergeant), was killed there, in action on the 27th November 1941. ^[3]

Burial - Halfaya Sollum War Cemetery, Egypt: grave - 9. E. 8. ^[4]

Auckland Star 2 January 1942 Page 1 ^[5]

ROLL OF HONOUR

BOND - Reported killed In action, overseas, on November 27, 1941. Lance-Sergeant R. H. Brome Bond, dearly loved elder son of Mrs. E. and late R. H. Bond, Castor Bay, and loved brother of Berwyn, Rotorua.

New Zealand Herald 25 February 1942 Page 1 ^[6]

Beneavement Notices

BOND - Mrs. Bond, of Castor Bay. and her son, Berwyn, Rotorua, wish to thank relatives and friends for their kind expressions of sympathy received in the loss of their dear son and brother, Lance-Sergeant R. H. Brome Bond through enemy action overseas.

Sources

1. ↑ Desert War : The New Zealand Division in Operation Crusader – An Overview
2. ↑ Wikipedia : Fort Capuzzo
3. ↑ NZEF Losses - Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 308, 30 December 1941, Page 4
4. ↑ Find A Grave Memorial ID: 18970745 - Lance Serjeant Robert Henry Bond
5. ↑ Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 1, 2 January 1942, Page 1
6. ↑ New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24208, 25 February 1942, Page 1

• N.Z. BIRTHS - 1909/23270 - Bond Robert Henry Boome - parents : Emma & Robert Henry
• New Zealand War Graves Project - Robert Henry Brome Bond
• Auckland War Memorial Online Cenotaph - Robert Henry brome Bond