The 1914/15 Star trio issued to the next of kin of 13/1087 Arthur Robins, 3rd (Auckland) Mounted Rifles, NZEF who was wounded in Palestine and took his own life in 1919.

 

Arthur Robins was born 29th December 1894 at Onehunga, Auckland, New Zealand, son of Josiah and Annie Amelia Robins. He saw pre-war Territorial service with 3rd (Auckland) Mounted Rifles, and was working as a farmer at Waiuku, south of Auckland, when he enlisted in February 1915.

 

Arthur embarked with the 5th Reinforcments, Auckland Mounted Rifles, and landed on Gallipoli in early October 1915. He served until the evacuation, before returning to Egypt. He remained with the NZ Mounted Rifles Division, serving throughout 1916 and 1917. At the Battle of Ayun Kara on 14th November 1917 Arthur suffered a severe gunshot wound to his right arm and shouder - the bullet shattering his arm. He was evacuated to New Zealand where he was discharged in August 1918. He moved to the Coromandel, but it appears the effect of his service and wounds during the war weighed heavily on him.

 

On 29th November he was noted as missing by his friends. A search was commenced and it was his faithful dog who lead the searchers to his body about a mile from his house. He had evidently used a detonator to end his life. The subsequent inquest determined he died by suicide, brought on by shell shock. He was interred in Waikaraka Cemetery,  his ornate headstone bearing the sad inscription from his family - "Sometime We'll Understand".

 

 

Service file held at Archives New Zealand

Grave