Tasmanian War Casualties

WW1

If you could spare a few dollars to help with the running costs of hosting this website to keep it alive would be very much appreciated.
Thankyou from Gravesites of Tasmania in advance.

Wells, Robert John

Born 24^th April 1892 Evandale Tasmania the son of Albert and Ellen Wells (nee Kearnon) a cabinetmaker he embarked Melbourne 10^th November 1915 on board “HMAT Ascanius” with the 12^th Infantry Battalion.

He was killed in action 4^th September 1916 in France and is commemorated on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France

Mr and Mrs A. Wells of Patterson street, Launceston, have received a letter from their son, Private Reg. P. Wells, dated September 10, from somewhere m France giving particulars of the death of his brother, Private Robert John Wells who was killed in action. Private Reg Wells says:

I have not had much time for a good while, as we have been going too much, but I never thought then things would be like this. By the time you get this letter you may have got the awful news of poor Bob. It is just a week ago today on the Somme battlefield that poor Bob, Alf. Jacques, and Frank Webber all died heroes' deaths, and Artie Wade was badly wounded. This war is awful. We boys had been together so long and now we are parted. Bob and Alf parted for good, the brave fellows. You might be wondering how poor Bob died. Well, he suffered no pain at all; he was killed instantly. Just fell, as if he was falling to sleep, but alas! his sleep is a long one. Alf died exactly the same, poor fellow. If you could have seen the way the boys went into action you would be proud to think you are Australians. They are the boys, the bravest ever. I can hardly realise it at times; it seems we are only separated that they will come back again, but, alas! they will not. Poor Bob, he was a model of a boy, so quiet, and good-hearted. .He was very popular with all the boys. I have not heard how Artie is getting on. He was hurt very bad poor fellow but I think he will pull through alright. Bob had no fear; if you could only see the way he died you would both be proud to think you had a son like he was. A coincidence is that photo of Bob and Alf taken on the camels together when we first went to Egypt was in Bob's pack, when it came back, on looking through, 1 found two of them. A lot of boys wanted one, so 1 gave one to our corporal and kept the other one myself.

The Daily Telegraph (Launceston) 10^th November 1916

Wells Robert John & Reginald Percy

Please note that there might be information from other websites or brochures "reprinted" here- under the laws of "fair use". In every instance -we hope- we have provided a direct link to the owners web site. We do not claim rights or ownership to any of their information. We do thank them sincerely for their efforts. We have in every instance made a good faith effort to contact and request 'reprint' permission. Nonetheless, we do want to be certain that nothing gets lost due to web site disappearance and the like, so it appears duplicated here.

Tasmanian War Casualties, Honouring the past, building understanding.