The Wartime Memories Project - The Great War

Those who Served - Surnames beginning with R.

Surnames Index


This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this site you agree to accept cookies.


If you enjoy this site please consider making a donation.



    Site Home

    Great War Home

    Search

    Add Stories & Photos

    Library

    Help & FAQs

 Features

    Allied Army

    Day by Day

    RFC & RAF

    Prisoners of War

    War at Sea

    Training for War

    The Battles

    Those Who Served

    Hospitals

    Civilian Service

    Women at War

    The War Effort

    Central Powers Army

    Central Powers Navy

    Imperial Air Service

    Library

    World War Two

 Submissions

    Add Stories & Photos

    Time Capsule

 Information

    Help & FAQs



    Glossary

    Our Facebook Page

    Volunteering

    News

    Events

    Contact us

    Great War Books

    About


Advertisements

World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment

2083

Pte J S, T Robertson

British Army 19th Btn Northumberland Fusiliers

from:98, Wansbeck Terrace, Ashington, Northumberland

(d.7th Sep 1916)

Robertson, J, S, T. Private, 19/1563, Killed in Action on 7th September 1916.

Buried in Heilly Station Cemetery, Mericourt-L'Abbe, Somme, in grave IV. A. 4. 19th Battalion records show that he was killed on 2nd August 1916, at odds with the CWGC record.

Husband of A. Boyd (formerly Robertson), of 98, Wansbeck Terrace, Ashington, Northumberland.

From the 19th Btn Northumberland Fusiliers Roll of Honour.




233142

Pte. J. Robertson

British Army 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers

J Robertson did not serve overseas




215737

Pte. James Robertson

British Army 12th Btn. Highland Light Infantry

from:Jarrow

(d.25th Sep 1915)

James Robertson, Private 18747, enlisted in Glasgow and served with the 12th Battalion the Highland Light Infantry. He is remembered at St Mark's Church and Loos Memorial. His medal card records the award of the 1915 Star, war and Victory Medals and that he was killed in action age 27 on the 25th September 1915.

James was born in Jarrow, son of george Spence and Helen Kay Robertson of 55 Cobden Street, Jarrow 1888. In the 1911 census James(23) is a boarder at 13 Thorngrove Road, Upton Park, Essex and works as a Ship Plater in shipbuilders.




215773

W.Eng James Coutts Robertson

Royal Navy HMS Natal

from:Jarrow

(d.30th Dec 1915)

James Coutts Robertson, Warrant Engineer, served on HMS Natal and died age 35 on the 30th December 1915. He is remembered at Jarrow Library and Chatham Naval Memorial 13.

James was born in Aberdeen 1880, son of John and Anne Robertson nee Munro of Aberdeen. He was married to Ada Alexandrina Robertson nee Peterkin of 8 North View, Jarrow. In the 1911 census her family is living at 40 Kent Street, Jarrow with her father George E Peterkin(58) widower a ship plate rivetter in ship repairers. He has 3 sons, all single, George E(33) an electrical engineer at Power Station, James M(28) a teacher and William(26) a student teacher. Daughters are Helena(25), single, Elepeth(23) a teacher and Mildred B(16). His other daughter Ada Alexandrina(31) has been married to James C Robertson(31) a marine engineer for 4 years and they have a son Leslie Gordon Robertson - 7 months old. James was also Chief Engineer on the SS Bedeburn.




215736

Spr. James Henry F S Robertson

British Army 129 Field Coy. Royal Engineers

(d.12th April 1917)

James Henry F.S. Robertson, Sapper 145094, enlisted at Blyth, served in 129 Field Company Royal Engineers and died age 23 on the 12th April 1917. He is remembered at Arras Memorial. Bay 1. His medal card records the award of the War and Victory Medals.

He was born in Jarrow 1893.

129th Field Company Royal Engineers was in 24th Division from April 1915.

  • 24th Division in 1917
  • The Battle of Vimy Ridge, a phase of the Arras offensive 1917
  • The Battle of Messines
  • The Battle of Pilkem Ridge***
  • The Battle of Langemarck***
  • The battles marked *** are phases of the Third Battles of Ypres
  • The Cambrai Operations (the German counter attack)




1206344

Pte. James Peter Robertson VC.

Canadian Expeditionary Force 27th (Manitoba) Battalion

from:Alberta, Canada

(d.6th Nov 1917)

James robertson was killed in action on the 6th of November 1917 aged 35. Buried in Tyne Cot Cemetery in Belgium. He was the son of Alexander and Janet Robertson, of 656, 5th St., South East, Medicine Hat, Alberta.

An extract from The London Gazette No. 30471, dated 8th Jan., 1918, records the following:- "For most conspicuous bravery and outstanding devotion to duty in attack. When his platoon was held up by uncut wire and a machine gun causing many casualties, Pte. Robertson dashed to an opening on the flank, rushed the machine gun and, after a desperate struggle with the crew, killed four and then turned the gun on the remainder, who, overcome by the fierceness of his onslaught, were running towards their own lines. His gallant work enabled the platoon to advance. He inflicted many more casualties among the enemy, and then carrying the captured machine gun, he led his platoon to the final objective. He there selected an excellent position and got the gun into action, firing on the retreating enemy who by this time were quite demoralised by the fire brought to bear on them. During the consolidation Pte. Robertson's most determined use of the machine gun kept down the fire of the enemy snipers; his courage and his coolness cheered his comrades and inspired them to the finest efforts. Later, when two of our snipers were badly wounded in front of our trench, he went out and carried one of them in under very severe fire. He was killed just as he returned with the second man."




225302

Sgt. James Simpson Robertson

British Army 2nd Btn. Gordon Highlanders




236275

Pte. James Robertson

Australian Imperial Force 14th Field Artillery Brigade

from:Beaudesert, Queensland

My grandfather James Robertson emigrated from Glasgow to Queensland in 1909 aged 16, together with his widowed father and younger brother. He married in 1913 and his first daughter was born in 1914. Both he and his younger brother volunteered and enlisted in September 1915. They were first shipped to Egypt aboard the "Kyarra" in January 1916, disembarking at Alexandria in February 1916. Both were 'taken on strength' at Serapum. I believe that they took part in what's described as the 'never-to-be-forgotten' march from Tel-el-Kebir to Ferry's Post. They were shipped to France in August 1916 and the records suggest James fought at Fromelles. In January 1917 James was reported having 'oedema of the foot' and was shipped to England. He was at Southwark Military Hospital from 1st February until 17th February 1917 and then taken to Larkhill on Salilsbury Plain. Altogether he was out of action for 18 months and only returned to France toward the end of the war. On 31st January 1918 it is reported he was a gunner attached for duty with Permanent Cadre of Reserve Brigade Australian Army, Heytesbury, Wiltshire.

On 8th October 1918 he left Southampton for France, on 2nd November 1918 he was wounded in action and reported as being gassed. As we all know, nine days later the war ended. However, not until 30th March 1919 did he leave France for England. And not until 15th May 1919 did he finally sail, aboard the Orontes back to Australia. My mother was born in 1923.

In 1946 my grandfather obviously had not had enough of war and he put his age down by nine years and volunteered again. This time he was made a POW of the Japanese in Singapore and shipped to Siam where I can only assume he took part in helping to build the Siam-Burma railway. Amazingly, he survived WW2 also and lived to be 66 years old. He never lost his strong Glaswegian accent and, to my knowledge, he never spoke about what he'd seen or done.

The postscript to this story is that I moved from Australia to England in 1973 and have lived in East Dulwich since 1991. I had no idea that my grandfather had been in East Dulwich until a year ago and still can't quite believe it.




242200

Pte. James Dewar Robertson

British Army 11th Btn. Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders

from:Strathmiglo

(d.23rd April 1917)




244810

Pte. James Robertson

British Army Army Veterinary Corps

from:Keith, Banffshire

(d.20th July 1919)

James Robertson was born in 1880 at Leggat, Spynie, Elgin, Morayshire and died at 121 Land Street, Keith, Banffshire of Pulmonary Tuberculosis.




262989

Gnr. James Robertson

British Army 142nd Siege Bty. Royal Garrison Artillery

from:Pickering, Yorkshire, England

(d.5th Sep 1916)




207043

Sapper John Dodd Robertson

British Army 23rd Division Signal Coy. Royal Engineers

from:22 Greenleaf Road, Walthamstow




213017

2nd Lt. John Gilfillan Robertson

British Army 11th Btn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers

from:Boyle, Co. Roscommon

(d.7th June 1917)




219091

Pte. John Hercules Robertson

Australian Imperial Force 54th Btn.

from:Warialda, New South Wales

Jack Robertson returned home from the war but died in 1947 of complications following his exposure to gas attacks on the Western Front. He was 34 when he signed up. He was transported on the Suevic. He worked as an undertaker upon returning home and is himself buried in Warialda cemetary with his wife and youngest son, Stuart, who served in World War 2. Stuart's only shared recollections of his father was of a man completely broken by the war. It made him very sad. I have postcards sent from Europe to Jack's wife in my collection.

He was the son of Mrs Elizabeth Robertson of Stannifer via Inverell, New South Wales, worked as a Carpenter, and he enlisted on 2nd October 1916. Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A29 Suevic on 11th November 1916. He returned to Australia on 5th July 1919.




225823

Pte. John Dobbin Robertson

British Army 10th Btn. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders

from:Dundee

(d.30th Sep 1918)

John Robertson was the brother-in-law of my great uncle.




211430

Mowbray Mitcalfe Robertson

British Army 9th Btn. North Staffordshire Regiment

(d.31st Aug 1916)

My great-uncle, Mowbray Mitcalfe Robertson, of the 9th Batallion, North Staffordshire Regiment, was killed on the Somme on the 31st August 1916 and is buried in Dantzig Alley British Cemetery, Mametz, Picardy, France. He was actually a South African.




216404

Peter Robertson

British Army

Peter Robertson is remembered at St. Paul's Church.

The original file by Vin Mullen identified a family in the 1911 census with the following information, but I cannot find any link to the military. Peter Robertson – father Adam Mother Elizabeth Milligan – Peter married Margaret Farley and they had a daughter Elizabeth Robertson born 1899. She died in 1972. She married William Douglas and they had 2 children. Adam Robertson married a Elizabeth Milligan 29th May 1870 in Jarrow And that 1911 census shows a Peter Robertson and his wife Margaret and they have a daughter Elizabeth born about 1900. They have been married 15 years according to that census and there was a Peter Robertson who married a Margaret Farley in Jarrow 11th April 1896 Peter Robertson died 1915 Oct – Dec age 44 South Shields vol 10a page 1004. So all the above searches agree the record of this Peter Robertson. All we need is confirmation of some military or war involvement leading to a memorial entry in St. Paul's Church.

The other Peter Robertson was born 1898, son of Robert and Esther Robertson of 332 South Frederick Street, South Shields. Driver 770491 169th Brigade Ammunition Column RFA died 14th August 1917 and remembered at Eqinghem-Lys Churchyard extension. His family lived at that address on 1901 and 1911 census. 1911 census lists Robert Robertson(46) widower, Coal Trimmer, Robert(17) a cartman, William(14), Peter(13) and John Thomas(11) still attending school.

It really is not possible to decide which family is correct or indeed if either is correct, so in the future hopefully some further research will help resolve the issue.




300749

Pte. Robert Robertson

British Army 18th Btn. Durham Light Infantry




227714

Pte. Robert Robertson

British Army 9th Btn. Gordon Highlanders

(d.27th September 1915)




942

Pte. Samuel Taylor Robertson

Australian Imperial Force D Coy. 33rd Btn.

from:Stannifer, New South Wales

(d.7th Jun 1917)

Samuel Robertson was a Miner from Stannifer, New South Wales. He was killed by a sniper on the front line during the attack on Messines Ridge, Ploegsteert on the 7th of June 1917, Samuel was 30 years old.




300174

Pte. Thomas Robertson

British Army 18th Btn. Durham Light Infantry

Served with 19th DLI




229225

Pte Thomas Paterson Robertson

British Army 9th Btn Gordon Highlanders

from:Alloa

(d.23rd May 1916)




249729

Pte. Thomas Robertson

British Army 12th Battalion Royal Scots

from:Burntisland, Fife

(d.12th Oct. 1917)




211551

Pte. Whitney Glen "Paddy" Robertson

Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force 18th Battalion

from:Blenheim, Ontario, Canada

(d.17th Aug 1918)

Paddy's Home in Front Line Trench. Made Himself Comfortable in the Danger Zone

By Pte. W. G. (Paddy) Robertson to Mr. E. P. Ridley Somewhere in France, April 28th, 1918

Dear Friend E.P., - At last I have time to write a few lines in answer to your welcome letter received some time ago. This is some note paper I picked up in the trench; it is slightly soiled but will have to do for now. For the last three days in the front line I was unable to get out of the funk hole but thank God I am O.K. again. It is a rather unpleasant feeling to be on your back helpless when the boys next to you are being buried and wounded. We had ... (page torn - unreadable). Have been lucky with our platoon, only two killed so far on this job. But I hope to move back on our old front again as we are the only division of Canadians up this way. Since the spring drive started we have been used for a storming division and it isn't any too pleasant a job. Whenever a piece of ground is lost we have to retake it and hold it for a few days, then move to some other front for a spell - lots of moving around and lots of sore feet. Our adjutant was telling us last week that Pete Pegg is now reported a prisoner of war in Germany; I hope it's right. Well Ed., I will have to bring this to a close although I am sorry to, it being the only pastime at night, but I have a two hour gas guard to do now so will close, trusting this finds Mrs. Ridley and yourself O.K. Write again, Ed., and I will try to answer sooner next time. As ever, Paddy Robertson. (unknown publication - Ontario, Canada)




241363

Pte. William Robertson

British Army 3rd Dragoon Guards

from:Oldham, Lancashire

(d.30th May 1915)

William Robertson served with the 3rd Dragoon Guards.




242096

Pte. William Hamilton Robertson

British Army Royal Scots Fusiliers

from:Saltcoats




260612

Pte. William Robertson

British Army 16th Battalion Cheshire Regiment

from:Astley Bridge, Bolton, Lancashire

(d.22nd Oct 1917)

William Robertson was the only child of my great grand mother Jane Bennett and her first husband James Robertson, he was born 1898. James Robertson died in 1899 when William was one year old. Jane Bennett married my great grandfather Albert Hall, 5th January 1901 and had four more children, the second being my grandmother Lily Hall (b.1903). William's mother Jane died in 1911 when he was 12. On the 1901 and 1911 census' William is living with his paternal grandfather Thomas Bennett and his second wife Mary Jane France.

I have a copy of William's WWI service records and a cousin of my mum's has sent me photographs of William's war medals, Memorial Plaque, British War Medal and Victory Medal. My relative always wondered why the medals were in his family's possession as he thought William was his father's stepbrother, he didn't realise it was his father's half brother. I would be grateful for any other information you have on William Robertson.




217612

Sgt. Arthur Robins MM.

British Army 89th Field Coy Royal Engineers

from:Chatham, later North Shields

(d.14th Oct 1918)

In memory of a brave man. Sgt. Arthur Robins was the son of George & Emily Robins of Chatham, Kent, & the husband of Mary Elizabeth Robins of Mill Hill, North Shields. On the outbreak of war, he enlisted as a Sapper into the Royal Engineers at North Shields, being posted to the 89th Field Company, R.E, initially part of 23rd Division, but 14th (Light) Division from January 1915.

He arrived in France in late May 1915, & soon saw his first action at Hooge where the German army first used Flame throwers. He later fought (I use that term, as the R.E were just as busy as the infantry) on the Somme at Delville Wood & Flers-Courcelette in 1916, at Arras & Passchendaele in 1917, & the fighting of the German offensive in March 1918. By this time he had been promoted to Corporal. Casualties had been so heavy that the 14th Division returned briefly to England between 17th June - 2nd July 1918 to re-equip. Back on the Western front, the tide was turning and Acting Serjeant Robins was back in the dreaded Ypres Salient, near the village of Wulverghem (Messines area).

The Battle of Ypres began and Robins & his section of 89th Field Company went forward, in the attack on Germans positions east of Wulverghem. During the bitter fighting, he must have done a very brave deed to be brought to official notice. It also cost him his life. During the performance of this, he was killed in action on 14th October 1919 aged 29. In the London Gazette of 19th May 1919, the following appeared: 'For Bravery in the field' - The award of the Military Medal to:- Royal Engineers 12812 Cpl. (A/Sgt.) Robins. A., 89th Fd. Coy. (North Shields). His Military Medal is named 12812 CPL-A-SGT. A. Robins R.E.




217786

Sgt. John Robins

British Army 5th Btn. Wiltshire Regiment

(d.2nd Jan 1916)

J. Fobins served with the Wiltshire Regiment 5th Battalion. He was executed on 2nd January1916 for disobedience. He is buried in Twelve Tree Copse Cemetery in Gallipoli.




241946

Sgt. Thomas Robins DCM.

British Army 4/5th Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment

from:Kingston on Thames

Thomas Robbins was awarded the DCM for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty as platoon sergeant when in command of his platoon in an attack on 15th of September 1917. Although wounded three times, he continued on duty until forced by exhaustion to go to a regimental first aid post. On his way there he assisted three wounded men under heavy shell fire. He had previously served with the East Surrey Regiment.







Page 30 of 51

     First Page   Previous Page   Next Page    Last Page    








Can you help us to add to our records?

The names and stories on this website have been submitted by their relatives and friends. If your relations are not listed please add their names so that others can read about them


Did your relative live through the Great War? Do you have any photos, newspaper clippings, postcards or letters from that period? Have you researched the names on your local or war memorial?

If so please let us know.

Do you know the location of a Great War "Roll of Honour?"

We are very keen to track down these often forgotten documents and obtain photographs and transcriptions of the names recorded so that they will be available for all to remember.

Help us to build a database of information on those who served both at home and abroad so that future generations may learn of their sacrifice.




Celebrate your own Family History

Celebrate by honouring members of your family who served in the Great War both in the forces and at home. We love to hear about the soldiers, but also remember the many who served in support roles, nurses, doctors, land army, muntions workers etc.

Please use our Family History resources to find out more about your relatives. Then please send in a short article, with a photo if possible, so that they can be remembered on these pages.














The free section of The Wartime Memories Project is run by volunteers.

This website is paid for out of our own pockets, library subscriptions and from donations made by visitors. The popularity of the site means that it is far exceeding available resources and we currently have a huge backlog of submissions.

If you are enjoying the site, please consider making a donation, however small to help with the costs of keeping the site running.


Hosted by:

The Wartime Memories Project Website

is archived for preservation by the British Library





Copyright MCMXCIX - MMXXIV
- All Rights Reserved -

We do not permit the use of any content from this website for the training of LLMs or for use in Generative AI, it also may not be scraped for the purpose of creating other websites.