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Pte. Robert Sim
British Army 5th Btn. Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
from:23 Princes St., Ayr
(d.12th October 1917)
My great uncle, Robert Sim, was killed on 12th of October 1917 on the first day of the battle for Passchendaele, during Third Battle of Ypres. He is commemorated at the Tyne Cot memorial. Sadly, there was very little left of him due to the terrible conditions and the fierce bombardment that the soldiers were facing.
I believe Robert had returned to the front after a break from duty. I am pretty sure that he was directly hit by artillery fire (possibly a howitzer round). Also his personal belongings were, unfortunately, lost so there s not much information to go on - just notes that were passed to me from my late aunt Margaret before her death around 2011. We went to visit her for the last time at her house in Harrogate.
He was in the 5th Battalion of the Cameron Highlander's (known as the Queen's Own Regiment). This was predominantly made up of Canadian infantry. Robert lost his brother Walter "Wattie" the year before in the Battle of the Somme. He is commemorated at Thiepval.
I went to both memorials to pay my respects in February 2016. Such a solemn experience that I will cherish forever. Without these men's actions we would not be living in a free democracy.
