Military History

Robert is listed as being killed in action on 23rd July 1916 having been initially reported as missing. Two enquries were made of the Red Cross to establish if he was captured as a prisoner of war by his sister May and a Miss Honor F. Mann of 40a The Parade, Leamington. The 1st Battalion war diary entries for the period 22nd to 24th July are transcribed below and the entry for the 24th shows that men had been captured and perhaps why the requests of the Red Cross were made.

Firing Line near High Wood – 22 Jul 1916: A much quieter day, A B & D Companies employed in improving their position on the sunken road.

Firing Line near High Wood – 23 Jul 1916: A, B & D Companies assaulted three strong points at 3.40am. D Coy was repulsed with heavy loss, Captain Gent, 2/Lt’s Ellery & Ellis were wounded and 2/Lt’s Liversedge and Willis were missing and believed killed.

B Company reached their objective but as the enemy came round their flanks they were compelled to retire with heavy loss owing to machine gun fire.

A Company also reached their objective but was compelled to retire owing to machine gun fire and the fact that their flanks were also in the air. The Battalion was relieved at night by the 1^st Devons and returned to trenches in Happy Valley.

Happy Valley – 24 Jul 1916: A fairly quiet day. Enemy sent a good many heavy shells into the valley. A few men who had been taken prisoner by the Germans the previous day escaped and rejoined the Battalion.