Robert's brother, Lance Corporal Kenneth Ferris Abbot (12/2545, Auckland Infantry Regiment), also served in WWI. He died of wounds in France on 22 September 1916.

Route taken by the Samoan Advance Party: Wellington, New Caledonia, Fiji Islands, Samoa. The first action New Zealand troops were involved in was the occupation of Western Samoa which was a German possession. A force of 1413 men landed unopposed on 29 August 1914. New Zealand troops were there for the rest of the War. For more information on the Samoa Expeditionary Force please try "The Samoa (N.Z.) Expeditionary Force 1914-1915 by Stephen John Smith AWMM