Richard Roach and Hanna Vine

Richard and Hannah's Story

    Richard was born in Towednack, Cornwall in 1855. Information for the Roach family in England is under Robert Roach. Richard (aged 22) and his brother James (aged 20) came to Melbourne in 1878 on the Cuzco. On Richard's marriage certificate (1890) his address is given as of 16 Howard Street St Yarra, and he describes himself as a Contractor. 
    Hannah was born in Spring Creek near Beechworth in 1866. The couple were married in Flemington, Melbourne. Hannah gives her normal address is Beechworth, but at time of marriage was living at Kent St Flemington.  Her father was a Publican. One of the witnesses to the wedding was Hannah's sister Elizabeth.
    When their daughter Leila was born in North Sydney in 1893, Richard was an Inspector of Works.
    In 1909 Richard was living in Hawthorn, Kooyong, Victoria,
    In 1914 Liela was married from 87 Barker's Rd, Kew, Melbourne in 1914. Hannah died in Kew a year later.
    In 1931 Richard was living in Fitzroy South, Yarra, Victoria,
    Richard died in 1934 in the Melbourne Benevolent Asylum, Cheltenham. His death certificate shows 48 years Vic, 3 SA, 4 NSW

Comment from Fred Mitchell

    It is not known when the family was split by the departure of the father Richard Roach. I was always told when I was young that he was a sailor, and was away for months or years at a time. That is not correct, as he was called on Liela's birth certificate an `Inspector of Works'. The 1904 Melbourne directory had Hannah (only) at 27 College St Kew (friends Katy and Ivy Stapelton lived at 28). Fred believes Hannah and Richard had separated by then.
    My Grandmother (Leila?) never spoke of Richard Reid Roach, and he never visited her after the marriage, I'm told. He is rumoured to have left the family to look for gold in South Africa, though he died in Victoria.

Bob Roach's Story

    Born 1891 in Prahran. Like his brother he was tall (close to 6 ft) and slim.  In 1913 he married Elsie Cumper. They lived in Richmond. They were married less than one year.
    She was expecting first child, got appendicitis. doctors advised not to operate, and she died. Bob took it really bad.
    He enlisted in March 1915 describing himself as a butcher. His mother died three weeks after he enlisted.
    He saw the Canal Zone, Alexandria, Marseilles before ending up in France as a machime gunner. Asthma was recorded as a medical problem before he got to France
    He was wounded in 1917 and gassed twice in the second half of 1918.
    He returned to Australia in January 1919 and was imvalided out of the AIF in March. In 1924 he was living in Brisbane and he died at the end of that year

Dick Roach's Story

    Born 1895 Murwillumbah, NSW.
    He enlisted in august 1914 aged just under 20 from Murwillumbah but at that stage he had already served two years in the infantry
    He left the army with their approval in July 1916
    Later in the war he is in Melbourne working for Edmonson and O'Neill, Engineers, 4 Somerset Place Melbourne
    He married Ethel James in 1923. They had no children. Records shoe them living in South Melbourne 1931, 43 and 54
    After the war he was an engineer with the Victorian Railways Newport Workshops
    He died in 1965 in South Melbourne

Leila Roach's Story

    See her page

Richard Guilford (Dick) Roach Service Record

Enlisted on 17 Aug 1914 at Murwillumbah (Queensland on the form, but it is 12 miles south of the border in NSW)
Age 19 9/12, unmarried, Engineer, next of kin Richard Roach 87 Barker St Kew, aleady served 2 years 2 months in the 56th Infantry
Two other forms also dated 17 Aug 1914 signed in Richmond Victoria: Taking the oath and Certificate of Medical examination
The last gives a height of 5 ft 11 and an age of 20 years 9 months
Now there is Guilford R Roach born Murwillumbah NSW in 1895, father Guilford R Roach mother Hannah
And this Murwillimbah Richard Guilford Roach clealy gives RRR as his next of kin
The Richmond signatures are arguably different But the same name and date?
The fourth and last page of Richard's record is anotated

Letter dated 21/2 18 to..... Defence for investigation
Registration card shows discharged 17/15/14
Serving as Roach Robert Gordon 21st Batallion
As per advice from Defense 3/7/16

Richard when calling to advise AIF of new next of kin address for Robert gave RRR's address
Richard gave his return address as c/- Edmonson and O'Neill, Engineers, 4 Somerset Place Melbourne

Robert Gordon (Bob) Roach Service Record

Enlisted 10/3/15 in Geelong, Age 23 last August, Butcher, Widower, There was a succession of next of kins on the form

Mrs H Roach, 57 Barkers Rd Kew (deceased - Hannah who died 4 Apr 1915)
Mr R R Roach, 57 Barkers Rd Kew
Mr R R Roach, c/- Tramways Coffee Palace, Richmond
Mrs E Mitchell, Whiteford, Lower Bethanga (sister, allottee)

6 foot, and 9 stone 11 pounds
Embarkation 10/5/1915,  6 Batallion number 266
1/5/16  Now Machine Gunner - Canal Zone, France, Alexandria, Marseilles
4/5/17 wounded in action Gunshot wound in back
7/9/18 Cassed
23/10/18 Gassed
30-12-18 Returned to Australia arriving 21/1/19
23/3/19 Discharged AIF
26/1/24 Robert applies for service medals
24/10/24 Robert dies in Queensland

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Jenny and Fred Mitchell. The additions in red are by Les Rowley