Born: 5 June 1889
Died: 18 December 1922
A painter and decorator who had several aliases and falsely claimed to have been born at Christchurch, New Zealand. He first enlisted in the AIF on 4 April 1917 as Stanley Lassan, not long after his release from jail on 27 January after serving an 18 month sentence for uttering a forgery.
He commenced training at Menangle Park, NSW as a reinforcement for the 12th Australian Light Horse Regiment. He fell from a tram on 26 April and after treatment in hospital, including an operation for a skull fracture, followed by convalescence, he resumed training in June. He was re-admitted to hospital on 15 August after being assaulted. He was then discharged medically unfit from the AIF on 27 August 1917.
On 4 February 1918 he attempted to re-enlist in the AIF as Frederick Roberts at the Royal Naval House Recruitment Depot. He was rejected on 7 February as being medically unfit for active service.
The same day he went to Victoria Barracks and enlisted under the name Arthur Frederick Roberts. He embarked for England on 21 March 1918 as a reinforcement for the Field Company Engineers.
He disembarked to hospital at Newport News, Viriginia, USA on 2 May suffering from symptoms associated with his previous injuries. He then resumed his voyage to England on 3 June and arrived on 21 June. He was immediately transferred to hospital awaiting return to Australia. He falsely claimed that he was suffering the effects of being wounded in action while serving with the 3rd Battalion.
He embarked on 21 July then was admitted to hospital in Cape Town, South Africa on 20 August following another fracture of his skull. He resumed his voyage on 31 August and arrived on 21 September then was discharged medically unfit from the AIF on 26 December 1918.
His next of kin, Lena Florence Helms, was the wife of John Monro Hamilton. [JSB]
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