Robert Arthur Kirkwood

  General Notes:

Service Record
Name KIRKWOOD, ROBERT ARTHUR Royal Australian Navy Number 11062 of Birth 23 Jul 1900
Place of Birth LANCEFIELD, VIC of Enlistment 9 Jan 1919 on Enlistment Unknown Port/Port Division SYDNEY, NSW of Kin EVELYN of Discharge 13 Feb 1946
Rank SB/CPO at Discharge HMAS Cerberus Honours and Gallantry None for display
Prisoner of War No

Robert Arthur Kirkwood enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 26/1/1917. His next of kin was his father Mr Robert Kirkwood of Lancefield.
The Certificate of Medical Examination describes him as -18 years, height 5 feet 5 inches, weight - 140 pounds, chest measurement - 36 inches, complexion - medium, eyes - hazel, hair - light brown and religious denomination - Church of England.
Robert was however caught out about his age. The Broadmeadows Military Police wrote the following report: -
Broadmeadows Camp
10 July 1918.
REPORT OF Sergeant G PENDELBURY Provost sergeant
RELATIVE TO No68312 Pte K I R K W O O D Robert Arthur Giving False information on Attestation i. e. Question 4
I have to report that from information received I interviewed the accused, I asked him his age on enlistment. He stated 17 years. I then asked him if his parents were aware that he was under the age of enlistment. He replied Yes . He made a statement which was taken down in writing and signed by him. I then placed him in Detention. Attached statement made by the accused. Extract of Birth Certificate has been sent for. The accused has been tin camp 11 months.
Signed by Sergeant Pendlebury.
His father wrote:-
Lancefield,
Oct 12th 17.
To.
The O. C.
Dear Sir,
Re my son R. C. Kirkwood, I (?) to say that I would prefer not to sign the paper for him to leave the State until he attains the age of about eighteen, and a half years.
I am,
Yours faithfully,
R. Kirkwood.

C O M M O N W E A L T H O F A U S T R A L I A
Broadmeadows Camp
12 Jul 1918
U R G E N T

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Kirkwood Lancefield VIC
Your son Robert Arthur Kirkwood has enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force for Active Service Abroad. Please give hereon the date of Birth of this son and also state if you have any objection to his enlistment with a view to such objection (if any) being forwarded to the state Recruiting Committee for a decision as to whether the enlistment may stand.
Para. 45 War Precautions Regulations is as follows:-
If any person verbally or in writing, in any report, Return, Application, Declaration, or in
any document signed by him or on his behalf, of which it is his duty to ascertain the accuracy,
knowingly makes or connives at the making of any False statement or any omission, with
intent to mislead any officer or other person acting under the orders of any Officer, in the
execution of his duties, He shall be guilty of an offence against the Act .
Please write your reply here :-
He was born at Lancefield on the 23rd July 1900.
We have no objection to his enlistment and going abroad.
Signature FATHER Robert Kirkwood
MOTHER Mary Kirkwood.
Dated Lancefield July 16th 1918.
Agreed in my presence March RK @ MK.



Broadmeadows Camp,
July 10th 1918.
Robert Arthur Kirkwood States: -
I enlisted on July 26th 1917, and was at that time 17 years of age. I stated in answer to Question 4 on my attestation paper that I was 18 years of age. That Statement was not true as I was only 17 years of age. My parents were aware that I was enlisting under the wrong age and willingly gave their Consent to the enlistment. They are quite willing now for me to serve and have never raised any objections. I will be 18 years of age on the 23rd of this month. I am attached to the 6th Refits which Unit is to sail away very shortly. I am very anxious to go away and Considering the fact that my Parents are quite willing for me to go, I beg to be allowed to do so. Attestation papers NoV65312 shown to me were signed by me.
Signed R. A. Kirkwood.
Arthur Kirkwood joined the Australian Navy on 9/1/1919. His description of person are as follows: - height - 5 feet 5 inches, hair - dark brown, eyes - hazel, complexion - fresh and his religious denomination - Church of England. He has a scar on his right shin.
Robert served on the Cerberus , Sydney , Adelaide , and the Penguin
He left the service on 13/2/1946

Robert joined the navy and worked in the Repatriation Hospital in Sydney where he met Evelyn , she was a nurse. His interests included photography, anthropology and Australian history. He also had a small room at the back of his garage in Bathurst where he tumbled polished stones and set them into jewellery.

Argus (Melbourne, Vic.) Tuesday 26 June 1928. Page 11.
Not to be Punished Twice.
Before Mr. T. D. O'Callaghan, P. M., and Messrs. F. Stephens and J. James, J.P.'s, at the Chelsea Court on Monday, Frederick A. Cook, of the Flinders Naval Depot, was charged with having on June 23 been drunk while in charge of a motor car, Robert Arthur Kirkwood, also of the Flinders Naval Depot, was charged with having on the same date been drunk in a public place.
Defendants, who pleaded not guilty, were defended by Mr. Keiley.
Constable Fehan said: - Kirkwood was under the influence of liquor, and staggering about in Point Nepean road. Cook, who was also under the influence of liquor, walked from in front of a military ambulance belonging to the Flinders Naval Depot. He admitted that he was in charge of it. He had blood on his face.
An officer of the Flinders Naval Depot said: - Defendants would be dealt with at the depot for the offence of having been arrested while in uniform.
Mr. O'Callaghan.- It is not right that a man should be punished twice for the one offence These young men may be dealt with severely by the tribunal, so we have decided to convict and discharge them.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Occupation: Machinist, Naval Officer.

• connection. ⁸⁴⁹

Robert married Evelyn Grace Dibley, daughter of Joseph Edward Dibley and Lavinia Elizabeth Walshaw, on 5 Jan 1924 in Church of England, Croydon, Victoria Australia. (Evelyn Grace Dibley was born in 1898 in Sunny Corner, Bathurst, NSW Australia and died in 1975 in NSW Australia.)