Roland Parker Shelley

Roland Parker Shelley

AWM p07021.001
Kings Park Memorial walk, May drive
Personal Information
Date of Birth	15 Jan 1891
Place of Birth	Kerang, Victoria
Death	4 Jul 1918
Age at Enlistment	24 years, 5 months
Description	5'9" (1.75m) tall ; 171lbs 77.564 kg ; fresh complexion ; blue eyes ; brown hair ; 3 teeth missing upper jaw, 2 from lower jaw
Occupation	Railway employee
Religion	Church of England
Address	Mills road, Gosnells, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father , Mr Arthur John Shelley
Military Information
Reg Number	1108
Date of Enlistment	15 May 1915
Rank	Lieutenant
Unit/Formation	28th Battalion, C Company transferred to 2nd Machine Gun Battalion
Date of Embarkation	9 Jun 1915 ‒ 2 Jul 1915
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A11 Ascanius
Monument	Gosnells War Memorial Gosnells Road Board Honour Roll Gosnells Ward Honour Roll
Medals	1914-15 Star British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

Member of a Rifle club for 3 years.

Electoral Roll entries: 1914 - 1915 at 247 James street, West Perth, Railway employee

War Service

When Roland first presented himself to the Blackboy Hill camp he was allocated to the 8th reinforcement draft for the 10th Light Horse Regiment and he travelled with them to Egypt aboard HMAT A11 Ascanius. There he was transferred to the 28th Battalion, embarking with them on HMT Ivernia for Mudros Harbour on 4 Sep 1915, and arriving on 7 Sep 1915. On 10 Sep 1915 Roland boarded HMS Sarnia for Anzac Cove, landing the same day. On 23 Sep 1915 he was reallocated to 'C' Company of the 28th Battalion and appointed Lance Corporal. On 25 Oct 1915 he was promoted to Temporary Corporal, and two months later on Christmas Day to Corporal. In the meantime, along withthe rest of the battalion he had been evacuated from Gallipoli aboard HMT Osmanieh. Roland arrived back in Alexandria from Mudros on 10 Jan 1916, and was caught up in the reorganisation of the AIF in Egypt as on 2 Mar 1916 he was transferred to the 7th Brigade Machine Gun Company. On 14 Mar 1916 he sailed from Alexandria for Marseilles, disembarking on 21 Mar 1916

In Belgium, on 20 Aug 1916, he was promoted Sergeant, and on 9 Feb 1917 promoted 2nd Lieutenant. Transferred the same day to the 22nd Machine Gun Company (later part of the 2nd Machine Gun Battalion), he was sent to the Machine Gun Training Depot at Beldon Park, Grantham to learn the craft. At the conclusion of his course it was said of him that "This officer is satisfactory and very keen and efficient but needs more confidence.

Returned to France on 17 Mar 1917, where he was promoted Lieutenant on 13 May 1917. From 2 - 13 Oct 1917 he enjoyed some leave in the UK, before being detached briefly to the 8th Field Artillery Brigade on 4 Dec 1917, rejoining his unit 4 days later in the Lochre (Loker) area of Belgium.

Roland was hospitalised with the 3rd Field Ambulance for 23 days with Venereal Disease during Nov - Dec 1917.

On 3 Jun 1918 he was wounded in action (gassed), with treatment provided to him by the 5th Field Ambulance and the 20th Casualty Clearing Station on 3 Jun 1918, the later retaining him for 3 days before sending him to the 41st Stationary Hospital at Pont Remy. Roland returned to duty with his unit on 14 Jun 1918 near La Houssove. On 4 Jul 1918 the 22nd Machine Gun Company of the 2nd Machine Gun Battalion was supporting an attack on Hamel when Roland was killed in action. The unit's War Diary has the following entry: "Lieutenant Shelley took charge of 2/Lieut' Kershaw's guns on the later being wounded. Whilst doing patrol between his guns (Lt R.P. Shelley) was killed by a sniper, receiving a bullet wound through the head."

Originally buried in the Blangy-Tronville Communal Cemetery Extension, he was exhumed and reburied in the Longueau British Cemetery during 1924.

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  Longueau British Cemetery in the Southeast outskirts of Amiens
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  CWGC