Roy de Maistre - World War I

World War I

In 1916, as art-student Roi Livingstone de Mestre, he joined the First Australian Imperial Force. It is a strange story as he was accepted three times after initially being rejected because his chest measurement was undersize. It is indicative of the great desire of the armed forces to procure men for the war effort (World War I) that they would have even considered accepting him once, let alone three times in short succession. And indicative of his great desire to serve in the war effort that he continually rejoined even after he had found himself too weak to cope with the workload. In May 1916 he was accepted for the first time but discharged a month later in June as medically unfit. He joined again one month later in July, but unable to cope physically at his own request he was discharged two months later in September. He joined yet once more one month later in October and was sent to the Field Hospital at Liverpool to train as a medical orderly. Then three months later in January 1917 he again requested a discharge as he felt that the work was beyond him. Due to his general weakness and debility his request for discharge was easily accepted. His general weakness and debility was due to tuberculosis that he had been able to keep hidden from the army doctors, one of whom even described his illness as congenital. Each time he joined up his illness had beaten him, and he had been unable to continue. Tuberculosis was the reason why he had earlier given up any idea of pursuing a music career, and had turned solely to painting.