Robert Samuel Loper

  • 1914 -1915 Star
  • British War Medal
  • Victory Medal
  • Gallipoli Medallion
  • Gallipoli Lapel Badge
  • Born 11 July 1894, Waimate, South Canterbury, New Zealand
  • Died 24 November 1971, Timaru
  • Last rank Private
  • Service number 8/2443
  • Served In Otago Infantry Battalion, 5th Reinforcement
  • Next of Kin Mr George Loper (father) and Mrs Nicoline Loper (mother), Maude Street, Waimate
  • Pre-war occupation Blacksmith, Post & Telegraph Dept, Waimate
  • ReligionPresbyterian
  • Enlisted1 May 1915, Otago
  • Embarkationaboard HMNZT 24 Maunganui, 13 June 1915, Wellington, disembarked 24 July 1915, Suez, Egypt
  • Theatres of operationGallipoli 1915, Egyptian 1915 and Asiatic-Mesopatania 1917-1918
  • Periods of service279 days in New Zealand and two years 113 days overseas in Egypt and Gallipoli. Total service of three years and 27 days
  • Returned to New Zealandaboard Wiltshire, 8 October 1918
  • Discharged10 January 1919, no longer physically fit for service, on account of illness contracted on active service
  • Awarded1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal, Gallipoli Medallion and Gallipoli Lapel Badge
Notes

Had two periods of active service; From 1 May 1915 until 21 July 1916 when he was discharged as no longer fit for active service. (Returned to New Zealand aboard the Arawa on 16 March 1916)

Re-enlisted on 9th March 1917 and returned to active service overseas on 4th May 1917.

Profile photo credit: Canterbury Times 13 October 1915 via The Onward Project