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Lance Corporal Robert Dyson Kelly
Description
TitleLance Corporal Robert Dyson KellySummaryA soldier of World War One.DescriptionRobert was born at Barrys Bay, Akaroa on 25th March 1896, son of John and Sarah Kelly. The family later moved to Springfield. Before enlisting he was working as a ploughman for John Kelly at Springfield. He was 6ft tall with a dark complexion, grey eyes and dark brown hair.
Robert enlisted on 17th October 1916 and was assigned to the 22nd Reinforcements, Canterbury Infantry Regiment, C Company. He embarked on 16th February 1917 on board the Navua arriving in Devonport on 26th April 1917, marching into Sling Camp the same day. He left for France exactly a month later on 26th May and marched in at Etaples on 28th May. He joined the 1st Battalion Canterbury Infantry Regiment, 13th Company in the field on 19th June 1917. On 8th November he was sent to the 7th General Hospital at St Omer, sick with measles, and returned to the base depot at Etaples on 20th , re-joining his battalion on the field on 19th December. On 19th January 1918 he lost 7 days pay for being absent from a working party two days previously. It does not seem to have been held against him for he was appointed Lance Corporal on 3rd February. On 21st June he was evacuated sick to hospital with influenza but re-joined the Battalion on 24th June. He was given leave in England on 7th August, returning on 25th. Two months later, and only 6 days before the Armistice, he was killed in action on 5th November 1918, aged 22, during the fighting to take Le Quesnoy. He was initially buried near where he fell in the Forest of Mormal, on the outskirts of Le Quesnoy but after the war he was gathered in and now lies in the Maubeuge-Centre Cemetery, Le Quesnoy. In New Zealand Robert is remembered on the Springfield War Memorial
Local appreciation is still strong. The medieval-like assault on Le Quesnoy captured the imagination of the townspeople, who were overjoyed at their release from a four-year bondage. Ever since, the town has maintained a strong affinity with New Zealand. So, too, has the nearby village of Beaudignies, which, in 2000, renamed its square 'Place du Colonel Blyth' in honour of one of its liberators.
Maubeuge is a large town in the department of the Nord. Maubeuge-Centre Cemetery stands inside the Communal Cemetery of Maubeuge on the route de Mons (N2). Maubeuge possessed a French military aerodrome, and it was H.Q., R.F.C., from the 16th to the 23rd August 1914. It was captured by the Germans on the 7th September, 1914, and it remained in their hands until it was entered by the 3rd Grenadier Guards in the early morning of the 9th November, 1918. The 5th, 47th Casualty Clearing Stations were posted in the town for different periods between the end of November 1918, and the middle of May 1919. The "Cimetiere Communal du Centre" one of the town cemeteries, was used by the Germans; it contained at Armistice the graves of German soldiers and British, French, American, Russian, Italian and Rumanian prisoners. These have been to a great extent regrouped, removed, or increased in number by concentrations from other burial grounds; and the British and other war graves are now mainly in the South part. One hundred and five were brought in after the Armistice from the battlefields West of Maubeuge There are now nearly 200, 1914-18 and over 50, 1939-45 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, a small number from the 1914-18 War are unidentified. From the 1939-45 War, three United Kingdom graves could not be precisely located and are commemorated by special memorials, inscribed "buried near this spot". The British plot covers an area of 645 square metres.First NameRobert DysonLast NameKellyFamilySingleSon of John and Sarah Kelly, of Springfield, New Zealand.Date of Birth25 March 1896Place of BirthBarrys Bay, AkaroaDate of Death5 November 1918Place of DeathLe Quesnoy, FranceCause of DeathKilled in ActionAge at Death22
Robert enlisted on 17th October 1916 and was assigned to the 22nd Reinforcements, Canterbury Infantry Regiment, C Company. He embarked on 16th February 1917 on board the Navua arriving in Devonport on 26th April 1917, marching into Sling Camp the same day. He left for France exactly a month later on 26th May and marched in at Etaples on 28th May. He joined the 1st Battalion Canterbury Infantry Regiment, 13th Company in the field on 19th June 1917. On 8th November he was sent to the 7th General Hospital at St Omer, sick with measles, and returned to the base depot at Etaples on 20th , re-joining his battalion on the field on 19th December. On 19th January 1918 he lost 7 days pay for being absent from a working party two days previously. It does not seem to have been held against him for he was appointed Lance Corporal on 3rd February. On 21st June he was evacuated sick to hospital with influenza but re-joined the Battalion on 24th June. He was given leave in England on 7th August, returning on 25th. Two months later, and only 6 days before the Armistice, he was killed in action on 5th November 1918, aged 22, during the fighting to take Le Quesnoy. He was initially buried near where he fell in the Forest of Mormal, on the outskirts of Le Quesnoy but after the war he was gathered in and now lies in the Maubeuge-Centre Cemetery, Le Quesnoy. In New Zealand Robert is remembered on the Springfield War Memorial
Local appreciation is still strong. The medieval-like assault on Le Quesnoy captured the imagination of the townspeople, who were overjoyed at their release from a four-year bondage. Ever since, the town has maintained a strong affinity with New Zealand. So, too, has the nearby village of Beaudignies, which, in 2000, renamed its square 'Place du Colonel Blyth' in honour of one of its liberators.
Maubeuge is a large town in the department of the Nord. Maubeuge-Centre Cemetery stands inside the Communal Cemetery of Maubeuge on the route de Mons (N2). Maubeuge possessed a French military aerodrome, and it was H.Q., R.F.C., from the 16th to the 23rd August 1914. It was captured by the Germans on the 7th September, 1914, and it remained in their hands until it was entered by the 3rd Grenadier Guards in the early morning of the 9th November, 1918. The 5th, 47th Casualty Clearing Stations were posted in the town for different periods between the end of November 1918, and the middle of May 1919. The "Cimetiere Communal du Centre" one of the town cemeteries, was used by the Germans; it contained at Armistice the graves of German soldiers and British, French, American, Russian, Italian and Rumanian prisoners. These have been to a great extent regrouped, removed, or increased in number by concentrations from other burial grounds; and the British and other war graves are now mainly in the South part. One hundred and five were brought in after the Armistice from the battlefields West of Maubeuge There are now nearly 200, 1914-18 and over 50, 1939-45 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, a small number from the 1914-18 War are unidentified. From the 1939-45 War, three United Kingdom graves could not be precisely located and are commemorated by special memorials, inscribed "buried near this spot". The British plot covers an area of 645 square metres.First NameRobert DysonLast NameKellyFamilySingleSon of John and Sarah Kelly, of Springfield, New Zealand.Date of Birth25 March 1896Place of BirthBarrys Bay, AkaroaDate of Death5 November 1918Place of DeathLe Quesnoy, FranceCause of DeathKilled in ActionAge at Death22
Connections
CollectionSoldiers of Selwyn World War OneMore InformationAuckland War Memorial CenotaphNew Zealand War Graves Project
Military Service
Memorial or CemeteryMaubeuge-Centre CemeterySpringfield War MemorialOccupation before EnlistingLabourerRegiment or ServiceCanterbury Infantry RegimentEnlistment Details17th October 1916Service Number38290Rank Last HeldSergeantEmbarkation16th February 1917Place of EmbarkationWellingtonTransportNavuaReinforcement22nd Reinforcements Canterbury Infantry Regiment, C CompanyNominal Roll55/11CountryNew Zealand
Lance Corporal Robert Dyson Kelly. Selwyn Stories, accessed 08/11/2025, https://selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz/nodes/view/443
