SA: Digger falls short of his final wish

AAP General News (Australia)
04-23-2001
SA: Digger falls short of his final wish

ADELAIDE, April 23 AAP - His life spanned three centuries and he reached some of his
long held goals, to turn 100 and see the Sydney Olympics.

But South Australia's oldest World War I veteran, Tom Robinson, 104, died yesterday
without achieving his final wish, to take part in one more Anzac Day march.

Mr Robinson passed away in Adelaide's Flinders Private Hospital after being admitted
last week with pneumonia.

He was one of only three remaining SA veterans from the great war and had been scheduled
to ride in a car during Wednesday's Anzac Day march with fellow diggers Bert Whitmore,
102, and Bert Burnard, 103.

In fact, it was the prospect of taking part in another Anzac Day parade that had kept
Mr Robinson going in recent times, his son Merv said.

"He always had a goal, one more reason to keep going," Merv Robinson told the Adelaide
Advertiser.

"First he wanted to be 100, then it was the Olympics.

"When I sat with him last week I told him how, if he was well enough, he'd be riding
in a car for the march.

"I think he understood but he just couldn't make it."

Born at Victor Harbour in 1897, Mr Robinson enlisted in the army when he turned 18.

After training in Egypt he saw action in France with the 3rd Light Horse Brigade before
transferring to the 1st Anzac Corps Cyclist Battalion.

He was wounded in 1916 but resumed service and did not return to SA until 1919.

In 1998 he was awarded the French Legion of Honour medal and received the 80th Anniversary
Armistice Remembrance medal in 1999.

A father of four, Mr Robinson also had nine grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren and
three great great grandchildren.

His family said a funeral service would be held at Adelaide's Centennial Park on April 30.

AAP tjd/las/sb

KEYWORD: ANZAC ROBINSON LEAD

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