The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of Lieutenant Robert Lloyd Tremain, 23rd Battalion (Infantry), First World War

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial every day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Charis May, the story for this day was on (946) Lieutenant Robert Lloyd Tremain, 23rd Battalion (Infantry), First World War. The address was read by guest speaker Major Adrien Hopkins accompanied by Piper Reg Foreman and Bugler Kevin Noon.

Second Lieutenant Robert Lloyd Tremain, 23rd Battalion
KIA 26 August 1916
No known photograph

Story delivered 26 August 2013

Today, we remember and pay tribute to Second Lieutenant Robert Lloyd Tremain.

Bob Tremain was born in Ballarat, Victoria, and was a typist and stenographer for the firm of John McLeod and Company when war broke out in Europe in 1914. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in March 1915 at age 18 with his father's permission. He was appointed to B Company of the 23rd Battalion, and left Australia with them the following May.

Tremain fought on Gallipoli for a short period, but spent some time away from the front in hospital seriously ill with influenza. He returned to his battalion in time to be present for the evacuation late in 1915, and was with them when they transferred to France to fight on the Western Front.

Tremain proved an able soldier in the fighting around the French village of Pozières. In early August he was recommended for, and was later rewarded, the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his "excellent work in reorganising the company under fire and in consolidating the position gained." He was also recognised for his ability by being promoted to second lieutenant in early August 1916.

Less than three weeks after his commission, Tremain's battalion was back in the line around Mouquet Farm. The battalion was primarily involved in consolidating new ground gained and in preparing for a new assault on the German positions around the farm. As a part of this work, Lieutenant Tremain was ordered to take a party forward to establish a strong-point forward of his own lines. This they succeeded in doing, but at 11 pm another patrol from the 23rd went forward to the strong-point, and found no sign of Lieutenant Tremain.

Tremain was last seen heading for the 24th Battalion where they were digging to the right of his position. A patrol went forward to try to find him in the dark, and again when the sun came up. There was no sign of his body.

For some time it was hoped that Tremain had been taken prisoner by the Germans. However, no word came through the Red Cross that he was a captive. Despite repeated enquiries by his father and a number of different theories as to his fate put forward by his mates in the battalion, nothing more could be done to find him. More than a year after he first went missing, Bob Tremain was officially declared to have been killed in action. He has no known grave, and his exact fate in that shell-torn battlefield will remain unknown.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, along with over 60,000 others from the First World War.

This is but one of the many stories of courage and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Second Lieutenant Robert Lloyd Tremain, and all those Australians who have given their lives in the service of our nation.