Robert Gordon Ready (9/2109)

Robert was born on 12 October 1894.  Robert was a member of the College Rifles, Rugby Union Football and Sports Club in Remuera.  When he enlisted, Robert was working as a bank clerk with the Bank of New Zealand.  He enlisted on 18 November 1915 in Invercargill and was sent to Trentham for training. [1]

From there he embarked on 4 March 1916-and arrived at Suez, Egypt on 8 April 1916 as a Sergeant with the 10thReinforcements, Otago Mounted Rifles, D Squadron, New Zealand Expeditionary Force. He transferred to the New Zealand Field Artillery as a Gunner on the Western Front in France near Messines.

On the night of 7 June 1917, the night the tunnellers exploded their bombs under the German trenches and tanks were used for the first time, Robert went missing whilst looking for a break in the communications line and could not be found.  Later, only his pocketbook was returned.

He was awarded the British war medal and victory medal

Robert is remembered on the Roll of Honour, College Rifles, Rugby Union Football and Sports Club, 33 Haast Street, Remuera, Auckland, and as a Bank of New Zealand staff member, he is remembered on the Memorial plaque in the Bank of New Zealand Arcade, Wellington. [Source: https://remueraheritage.org.nz/story/ww1-the-ready-family/, Accessed: 19/11/2025]

“The Rev. W. Ready has received word, that his eldest son, Lieutenant W. Harold Ready, was admitted into hospital, England, on April 22nd, with a wound in his right leg. This is the third son Mr Ready has had in the war. The youngest, Gunner Gordon Robert Ready, was killed the first day of the battle of Messines, and the second son, Gunner Wilfred, who was with the Main Body, and was away over three years, returned permanently unfit, after being in hospital in France and England. The father has been away on active service in a New Zealand hospital ship, and may be going again.” [Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16200, 1 May 1918, Page 8]