The Roberts family lived either on Glen Road or Avoca Street - the two streets intersect - in Mornington, Dunedin.
James enlisted in November, 1914, just a few months after war began and was in service in time for the Gallipoli campaign.
The Otago Infantry began its May 6 assault against prepared Turkish positions in reserve. The assault for the other troops was slow going, advancing over open ground and suffering many casualties from Turkish machine guns. Then it was the turn of the Otagos, and their losses were heavy too. James is listed as "wounded and missing," "believed to be killed" - the result of a court of enquiry after the evacuation from Gallipoli. This indicates that he was seen to fall and did not return with the troops on their retreat but was not seen to die.
Albert Roberts enlisted in May, 1917, and was with the Otago Regiment when the German Army began its last and almost successful offensive in the spring of 1918. After some time in reserve, and some confused and arduous marching through France, contact was made with the advancing enemy on March 27th. A few days later they occupied the old British trench line, dug before the Somme offensive of 1916. The Official History quotes an un-named correspondent to describe the condition of the line after a period of rain: "A sinuous ditch bottomed with mud, and foul with human refuse. There are holes in its sides from which as you lean over there comes a foul breath. Misty, shadowy things are emerging from these side caverns, and moving about in shapeless bulk like bears that shamble and growl. They are the squad."
The Official History continues: "At 5 o'clock on the morning of April 5th the enemy commenced an artillery bombardment which must rank as one of the heaviest and most sustained the Regiment ever experienced. It extended along the whole Divisional front; and from guns of all calibres shells were poured down over the forward, support and rear positions as far back as Bus-Ies-Artois and Bertrancourt, almost without interruption from early morning until the late afternoon. It furiously searched every known and likely forward position, and in the back areas batteries and villages and roadways were pounded by guns of the heaviest calibres. Its extraordinary depth and intensity indicated an attempt by the enemy to renew the progress which had been so abruptly stayed a few days previously. It was not long before these attacks developed. At 8.15 a.m. reports were received from the 3rd Brigade that the enemy was attacking from the right of the Serre Road to the left boundary south of the Quarries. The attack was beaten off; but when renewed at 10 a.m. the enemy succeeded in capturing a short length of trench east of La Signy Farm, and the Farm itself, the small garrison of three sections of Rifle Brigade troops who comprised this advanced post being overwhelmed. At no other point did the enemy make any progress, and he suffered very severely from our artillery and machine gun fire, his casualties being estimated at 500 killed. Prisoners captured on the front of the left Brigade stated that their ultimate objective was Colincamps, also that many new batteries had been brought up for the attack. At 2 p.m. an attack was made against the right of the Divisional sector, but similarly failed, the only party of Germans who reached our line being taken prisoners. Under cover of this sustained bombardment attacks were launched by the enemy during the day along the whole Army front; but nowhere did he achieve more than very local successes. This may be said to have signalled the termination of the great German drive in the Battle of St. Quentin."
April 5th also signalled the termination of the life of Private Albert Moses Roberts.
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