WW1 Robert Jackson Proude 4/316 and 13555

Robert Jackson Proude [1]

Robert (known as Bob) Jackson Proude was the son of Thomas and Kate (nee Jackson) Proude of 9 Orakei Road, Remuera. He was born on the 10th August 1892 (his war record says 1893) and was only three years old when his father died in 1895 aged only 36.


He had an older brother Harry born in 1888. [1] His mother’s father was Samuel Jackson who was known as the father of the legal profession in Auckland after the establishment of the law firm Jackson Russell, which still exists today. [2] [3]

Bob Proude was educated at St. John’s College from 1900-1909 and King’s College. He participated in College Rifles cadets unit for 4 years, becoming part of the Divisional Signallers Company. Upon leaving school entered Auckland University College in 1913 to study law, at the same time taking a solicitor’s clerk position in the law office of Jackson and Russell with his uncle Thornton Jackson. [4]

Samuel Jackson [2]


Bob Proude was among the first to enlist in Auckland, attesting on 8 August 1914, embarking at Wellington on 15 August going to Samoa as a Lance Corporal in the Samoan Expeditionary Force with the party of College Rifles men who supplied the signallers for the advance guard. He remained in Samoa for some time after the advance guard had left, occupying the position of judge’s associate. Obtaining a release from his official appointment, he returned to New Zealand to rejoin the N Z Engineers as a Sapper, leaving on the Willochra on 29 May 1916 with the signallers company reinforcement. [5]

Robert Jackson Proude [3]


He disembarked at Devonport, England on 27 July 1916 as part of the 13th Reinforcements. After further specialist training at Hitchin, he embarked for France on 14 October 1916 and was attached to strength at the N Z camp at Etaples on 18 October 1916. This was a training camp to prepare the men for the Front Line. [6] On the 28 November 1916 he was admitted to No. 2 Stationary Hospital at Abbeville and was discharged after a few days on 2 December 1916. Bob was part of the Battle of Messines in Belgium on 7-9 June 1917 and was gassed with gunshot wounds on 10th June 1916. He was admitted to No. 9 Australian Field Ambulance and the No. 2 Australian Casualty Clearing Station but died on 11 June 1917. Bob Proude is buried at the Trois-Arbres Cemetery at Steenwerck France (Plot 1 Row 5 Grave No. 25). He is commemorated on the College Rifles Roll of Honour and on the St Aidan’s Church memorial cross and on a family grave memorial, Waikumete Cemetery, Auckland.