The Wartime Memories Project - The Second War

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260544 Pte. Robert Smith British Army Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders from:Glasgow (d.17th June 1940) Robert Smith was my grandfather. He died when HMT Lancastria was sunk on 17th of June 1940. Robert enlisted at Paisley in 1925 aged 18 years. His civilian employment prior to enlisting was listed as labourer. In 1927 his battalion moved to Jamaica until September 1929 when the men moved to Northern China. They embarked from China on the troopship HT Neurala February 1933 for the UK for his transfer to the Army Reserve; a reserve of trained and disciplined military personnel for use in an emergency. Robert married Agnes in 1934. Robert's job at the time is recorded as Tramway Car Conductor. In 1939 Robert rejoined the Argylls and was attached to the Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps before being sent to France. HMT Lancastria was a Clyde built Cunard cruiser that became a troopship, involved in Convoy Alabaster and Operation Arial, the evacuation of troops from Europe. Bombed off the coast of St. Nazaire, France and sunk in approx 20 minutes. Approx 2500 people rescued. Loss of life estimates range from a conservative 2,500 to 6,000. Robert Smith's body was never recovered and his name is on the memorial at Dunkirk North. Robert died aged 34 years leaving 4 children aged under 5 years. There are now four generations of Robert's descendants in Scotland and Australia. Audrey Mcneish Add to this record.  Related Content: Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Battle of France and The Low Countries 1940 HMT Lancastria Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps Can you help us to add to our records? Add a record to our website. 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 you or your relatives live through the Second World 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? Were you or your relative evacuated? Did an air raid affect your area? If so please let us know. 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. Contact us. Celebrate your own Family History Celebrate by honouring members of your family who served in the Secomd World 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.

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