ROBERTS, JOHN ERNEST BATE Initials: J E B Nationality: Indian Rank: Second Lieutenant Regiment/Service: Indian Army Reserve of Officers Secondary Regiment: 5th Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force) Secondary Unit Text: attd Age: 18 Date of Death: 23/08/1915 Awards: Mentioned in Despatches Additional information: Son of Ernest and Mary Roberts, of 168, Evering Rd., Clapton, London. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 253. Memorial: HELLES MEMORIAL Awards: Mentioned in Despatches Died of wounds Additional information: Son of Ernest and Mary Roberts, of 168, Evering Rd., Clapton, London. “When they did return to the battle in August 1915 they found themselves in hell. The heat was unbearable, the smell of unburied corpses in no-man's land and the flies from these corpses only added to the demoralised state of the troops. Some success was had by the 6th Gurkhas but lack of support caused them to retreat again.. As summer dragged on disease took it's toll but when the cold winds came in November the cold was even worse than the summer heat. Throughout this, the Gurkhas were stoical and uncomplaining, even when suffering from frostbite.”