Soldier profiles

Name : AINSLEY, ROBERT
Service Number : VX58274
Date of Birth : 16/08/1901
Place of Birth : PRAHRAN, VIC
Known as :
Occupation on Enlistment : SHEARER, LABOURER
Date of Enlistment : 24/06/1941
Locality on Enlistment : ADELAIDE, SA
Place of Enlistment : ROYAL PARK, VIC
Next of Kin : BENSON, ELIZABETH
Rank (at time of discharge / death) : SAPPER
Service : ARMY
Final Posting : 2/2 PIONEER BATTALION
Position / Platoon / Company (as 2/2 Pioneer) (date / details) :
Unit Transfers / Promotions (date / details) : REINFORCEMENTS, 2/2 PIONEER BATTALION, 2/1 PIONEER BATTALION
Theatres of War : SYRIA
Actions :
Wounded (date / details) :
Discharged : 02/03/1944
Date Died : N/A
Community Roll of Honour : N/A
Buried Location / Memorial (P.O.W., D.O.W., K.I.A.) : N/A
K.I.A. (date / details) : N/A
D.O.W. (date / details) : N/A
M.I.A. (date / details) : N/A
P.O.W. (location/s) : NO
Died P.O.W. (date / details) : N/A
P.O.W. Camps (details) : N/A
Recovered P.O.W. (location/s) : N/A
Honours and Gallantry : None for display
Applicable Australian War Memorial circulars : NO
References found (entries & photos) : National Archives of Australia (Barcode 6119894 [DIGITISED]), WW2 Nominal Roll, Australian War Memorial

Background : Brother of Elizabeth Benson.

Service & personal summary At enlistment : single. No previous military experience. At discharge : height 5 feet 4 inches, hazel eyes, medium complexion, brown hair. Marital status : single. Marks / scars : scar over left eye, 3 inch operation scar left lower ribs above hip, birthmark spine between shoulder blades, small scar left buttock, linear scar left forearm. Full time war service : A.I.F. 24/06/1941 to 02/03/1943 which included 545 days active service (265 days within Australia & 150 days overseas). Operational service : Middle East area (embarked from Australia 02/11/1941, disembarked in Australia 31/03/1942). War badge no. 407326. Discharge certificate no. 42376.

Service record
24/06/1941 Taken on strength Recruit Reception Depot Royal Park, Victoria.
26/06/1941 Evacuated to 6 Hospital Royal Park, Victoria.
01/07/1941 Rejoined unit from 6 Hospital Royal Park, Victoria.
03/07/1941 Granted leave without pay 03/07/1941 to 04/07/1941.
05/07/1941 Rejoined unit from leave without pay.
09/07/1941 Transferred to 6 Training Battalion Darley Camp, Victoria.
10/07/1941 Transferred from Recruit Reception Depot.
01/08/1941 Transferred to 4 Training Battalion Darley Camp, Victoria.
02/08/1941 Transferred from 6 Training Battalion Darley Camp, Victoria.
07/08/1941 Next of kin change of address to read Armidale, New England.
23/09/1941 Transferred to 2 Training Battalion Darley Camp, Victoria.
24/09/1941 Transferred from 4 Training Battalion Darley Camp, Victoria.
19/10/1941 Admitted 115 Australian General Hospital, Heidelberg, Melbourne, Victoria with bronchitis through exposure and transferred to X list.
21/10/1941 Transferred to Broadmeadows Convalescent Depot, Victoria.
21/10/1941 Admitted Broadmeadows Convalescent Depot, Victoria with exposure bronchitis.
28/10/1941 Discharged to Recruit and Training Camp Caulfield, Victoria.
28/10/1941 Transferred in from Broadmeadows Convalescent Depot, Victoria.
29/10/1941 Transferred from Recruit and Training Camp Caulfield, Victoria to 2 Training Battalion Darley Camp, Victoria.
29/10/1941 Transferred from Recruit and Training Camp Caulfield, Victoria.
30/10/1941 Transferred to Engineering Training Depot Bonegilla, Victoria.
30/10/1941 Transferred from 2 Training Battalion Darley Camp, Victoria.
31/10/1941 Transferred to Reinforcements 2/2 Pioneer Battalion.
02/11/1941 Embarked Sydney, New South Wales on H.M.S. Queen Mary (H.M.T. L.L.) Convoy no. 13.
24/11/1941 Disembarked Middle East.
21/02/1942 Marched out to 2/1 Pioneer Battalion Middle East.
21/02/1942 Taken on strength 2/1 Pioneer Battalion.
12/03/1942 Embarked Middle East on U.S.S. West Point.
31/03/1942 Disembarked 4 Military District (South Australia).
30/09/1942 Admitted 102 Australian Convalescent Depot, 1 Military District (Queensland).
30/10/1942 Marched out from 102 Australian Convalescent Depot to 21 Australian Infantry Training Battalion.
30/10/1942 Marched in from 102 Australian Convalescent Depot.
08/12/1942 Marched out to Queensland Lines of Communication area for medical review board.
31/12/1942 Marched into General Details Depot Caulfield, Victoria from General Details Depot Brisbane, Queensland.
02/03/1943 Discharged.