Robert was born at South Melbourne, VIC in 1894 to Robert Reid and Elizabeth Patterson Grant. Robert had two cousins, Harry and Robert Grant, who are also remembered in the Avenue.

Robert had previously served in the Senior Cadets for four years and had been a Drill Instructor with the rank of Staff Sergeant Major in the 52^nd Infantry Battalion for the past 16 months when he enlisted in the AIF on the 16^th of February 1917, aged nearly 23. He was allotted to the 25^th Reinforcements, 5^th Battalion in June before he embarked aboard the HMAT A32 Themistocles in August, disembarking at Glasgow, Scotland in October.

In March 1918 Robert joined his unit in France. During fighting in the Somme district in August he received a gunshot wound to the right shoulder, causing a severe compound fracture of the humerus - for which he was operated on three times. Evacuated back to England he was admitted to the University War Hospital, Southampton before he was transferred to the 1^st Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield. Robert embarked for home aboard the HS Karoola in December, returning to Australia in January 1919 and was discharged from the AIF in August.

Robert died at Balwyn, VIC in 1954, aged 60.