BiographyHarold Roberts was the House Steward for Mrs Willinte of "Lorne House" Beecroft Rd, Beecroft. Mrs Willintie was also listed as his next of Kin.
He enlisted on 24 August 1914, one of the first from Beecroft to do so, and embarked for the war in September 1914 with the rank of sergeant.
He was commissioned an officer in 1916, was wounded in the leg in 1917 and was killed in action by splinters from enemy shell fire.
On the 7th June 1917 he won the Military Cross for establishing a forward observation post in a captured German trench, after killing three German officers who had refused to surrender. He maintained communication by telephone and runners even though the wires were constantly cut. He was said to have acted "with great coolness and devotion to duty under very heavy shell fire and sent back valuable information to group headquarters."
The Commonwealth Gazette, No. 219, of 20 December 1917 stated that he received the medal for.
'For conspicuous allantry and devotion to duty. he showed the greatest energy and fearlessness as forward observation officer, following the infantry closely in an attack and establishing communication which owing to the wire constantly being cut had to be maintained by runners. He established a post in a captured dug out after killing three enemy officers who refused to surrender, and throughout the operation he carried out his work with the greatest coolness under very heavy shell fire.'
Age33Date of Death17 September 1917Civil employmentHouse Steward
Harold Roberts with a group of other officers.