| Robert Armstrong was the son of Samuel and Ann Armstrong. Robert was born in Kilrea about 1887.
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| The 1901 census lists Robert Armstrong as age 14 living with the family at house 9 in Lisnagroat, Tamlaght, County Londonderry. His father was a farmer. It lists his wife as Maria, who had a son called William Montgomery, which suggests that Robert’s mother had died and his father had remarried.
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| The 1911 census, lists Robert as living with the family at house 25 in Lisnagroat, Tamlaght, but almost all the information listed is incorrect. Robert was working on his father’s farm.
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| Robert Armstrong emigrated to Australia. Australian records suggest his age on arrival in Australia was 27, suggesting that he arrived in 1914. The Kilrea local newspaper suggests he arrived in 1911.
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| Prior to enlisting, Robert was living near Melbourne and working as a farm labourer.
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| Robert Armstrong enlisted in Melbourne on 16th July 1915. He gave his next of kin as his brother Samuel, who was still living in Lisnagroat, Kilrea.
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| Private Robert Armstrong embarked with his unit from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT RMS Osterley on 29th September 1915. They arrived in Tel el Kabir, Egypt, on 10th January 1916.
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| Private Armstrong was admitted to the 6th Field Ambulance and transferred to 2nd Australian Dermatological Hospital on 2nd February 1916. He was treated for venereal disease for 59 days. He returned to his unit on 3rd April 1916.
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| Private Robert Armstrong was absent without leave from 4pm, 9 May to 2pm, 10 May 1916. He was fined four days' pay.
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| His unit proceeded to join British Expeditionary Force at Alexandria on 30 May 1916 and disembarked in Marseilles, France on 5th June 1916.
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| Private Armstrong and his unit joined the battalion on 31st July 1916.
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| Private Robert Armstrong was serving with the 24th Battalion of the Australian Infantry when he was killed in action in France on 24 August 1916. He was hit by part of a bursting shell and death was instantaneous. He was 29 years old.
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| From the Northern Constitution dated 23rd September 1916:
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| Official intimation has been received by Mr Sam Armstrong that his brother, Private Robert Armstrong, has been killed in action in France by being hit by part of a bursting shell, death being instantaneous. Private Armstrong was a son of the late Samuel (Fallahogey), and emigrated to Australia five years ago where he unlisted. He served in Egypt up till Christmas last.
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| Private R Armstrong has no known grave and is commemorated on the, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial in France. This Australian National War Memorial is in the village of Villers-Bretonneux, 15 kilometres east of Amiens. The Memorial stands on high ground behind the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery.
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| The CWGC record Private Robert Armstrong as the son of Samuel and Ann Armstrong and also records that he was born in Kilrea, Ireland.
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