Robert Stewart Jenkins (1877)

Born 1877 in Cathcart, Renfrewshire, Scotland, United Kingdom

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Biography

Robert was born in 1877. He was the son of Thomas Jenkins and Marion Stewart. ^[1]

In 1901 Robert S Jenkins, age 24, born Scotland, was a student at the Camborne School of Mining in England. ^[2]

On the 10th July 1915 Robert applied for a commission in the Australian Imperial Force. He gave his age as 36 years and 5 months, occupation was 2nd assistant manager of The Proprietary Mine, Broken Hill, New South Wales. His next of kin was his sister Miss Sarah Cameron Jenkins, residence Whitingham Gardens, Glasgow, Scotland. On 27 October 1915 he embarked from Adelaide, South Australia on HMAT Benalla A24 as 2nd Lieutenant with the 11th Reinforcements, 12th Australian Infantry Battalion. Robert served in the Imperial Camel Corp and the 14th Light Horse Regiment. At the end of the war he was discharged in Egypt, and was appointed Inspector in the Department of Mines, Cairo.

Research Notes

According to the Australian War Memorial, members of the AIF wore badges of rank on their uniform. Officers wore their rank on their shoulders whilst Warrant Officers and NCOs wore theirs on the sleeve of their right arm. In the photograph of the 12th Infantry Battalion, 11th Reinforcements the man seated 2nd row, 10th from left (and in the middle of the row) is the only soldier with rank insignia badges on his shoulders, and most likely to be Robert Stewart Jenkins as he was the highest ranked (2nd Lieutenant) of the reinforcements.

Sources

1. ↑ Scotlands People (https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/) Statutory registers Birth: JENKINS Robert Stewart, Year 1877, Ref 560/41, Cathcart (Lanark).
2. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1901," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XSHQ-C3H : 21 May 2019), Robert S Jenkins, Camborne, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom; from "1901 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing Camborne subdistrict, PRO RG 13, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.

• Australian Imperial Force, Base Records Office; B2455, First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920. JENKINS Robert Stewart : Lieutenant. NAA: B2455, JENKINS ROBERT STEWART
• First World War Embarkation Rolls. (Australian War Memorial, http://www.awm.gov.au : accessed 29 Aug 2022) Robert Stewart Jenkins Second Lieutenant, 12 Infantry Battalion - 9 to 12 Reinforcements (September-December 1915). Date of embarkation 27 Oct 1915, Place of embarkation Adelaide, Ship embarked on HMAT Benalla A24.
• First World War Nominal Roll. (Australian War Memorial, http://www.awm.gov.au : accessed 29 Aug 2022) Robert Stewart Jenkins Lieutenant, 14th Australian Light Horse Regiment. Discharged 6 Jun 1919.

See also:

• 12th Infantry Battalion, 11th Reinforcements Photograph and research page.