Robert Thomson Barbour was born in 1879. He was the son of Robert Thomson Barbour and Agnes Lyall Barbour, from Victoria, Australia. He married Flora K. Barbour.

He enlisted on February 1st 1916 at Melbourne aged 37 years and 10 months. He was appointed to the 23rd battalion of the Australian Infantry. He then left Melbourne on 19th July 1916 and arrived at Etaples on 20th November 1916. He finally joined his unit on 1st December 1916.

With his battalion, Robert was sent to Le Transloy at the end of December 1916. Here the men built dug outs and a dressing station. On the 3rd January 1917, they moved to the support line and then on the 9th they arrived at the front line. On the 10th, the battalion suffered heavy shelling and Private Robert Thomson Barbour was killed by a shell.

We know he was properly buried and a cross was erected above his grave by Sergeant Louttit. His grave was probably destroyed in later fighting has he went missing for almost 30 years...

...His body was found in 1932 and he was identified thanks to his ID discs. Robert Thomson Barbour is now commemorated in Thiepval Franco-British cemetery at I. D. 8.