Name
Robert Hazledine
1894
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
19/02/1919
25
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
R/14597
King's Royal Rifle Corps
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
COLOGNE SOUTHERN CEMETERY
II. F. 4
Germany
Headstone Inscription
HE GIVETH HIS BELOVED SLEEP
UK & Other Memorials
St Albans Citizens Memorial,
Town Hall (old) Memorial, St Albans, Shenley War Memorial,
Fleetville Memorial (Hatfield Rd Cemetery), St Albans,
Pre War
Robert Hazledine was born in 1894 in Notting Hill, Middlesex, the eldest son of Edward and Alice Hazledine, and was baptised on 15 February 1894 at All Saints Church, Notting Hill. They were then living at 95 St Clements Road and his father's occupation was given as Police Constable. He was one of five children, although two died in infancy.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at 10 Arundel Road, Islington and his father had been promoted to Police Sergeant. By the 1911 Census, they were living at the Police Station, Shenley, nr Barnet, Herts and Robert was working as an apprentice bootmaker. He was apprenticed to George Wilkins, the bootmaker in Shenley Road, Borehamwood and later did boot and shoe repairs at Tidey's shop in Shenley.
At the time of enlistment in 1915, he was living at 11 Camp Lane, The Camp, St Albans where he was working as a boot repairer.
He married Ada Winifred Atwill on 13 May 1918 at St Botolph's Church, Shenley. She gave her address as 17 Cromwell Place, South Kensington.
His parents later lived at 18 Etna Road, St Albans.
Wartime Service
According to a local newspaper report, Robert was rejected twice when he tried to enlist at the outbreak of war, but was eventually accepted on 12 July 1915 and joined the King's Royal Rifle Corps, serving with the 1st Battalion as a Rifleman from 20 July 1915.
He was sent to France in June 1916 and appointed Lance Corporal on 8 August 1916. He was wounded in action on 17 February 1917 and sustained gunshot wounds to the arm and leg being admitted to No.9 Casualty Clearing Station the following day. After initial treatment he was transferred by the 21st Ambulance Train on 21 February 1917 to No. 16 Stationary Hospital at Le Treport. From there he was shipped back to England aboard H.S. Grantully Castle on 28 February 1917 eventually being admitted to the 3rd Western General Hospital, Newport, Monmouthshire on 13 March 1917. Following recovery he was discharged to duty in England on 11 July 1917 and eventually returned to France on 7 January 1918, joining the 1st KRRC in the field.
A local St Albans newspaper report stated that Robert had been gassed in March 1918 and 'came home for about four months' before returning to France. His service record shows that in April 1918 he was granted leave to father's address at 18 Etna Road, St Albans.
Following the armistice in November 1918 he went forward into Germany as part of the army of occupation. Robert was admitted to hospital in Cologne, Germany on 12 February 1919 and died of pneumonia on 19 February 1919, aged 25, at the 36th Casualty Clearing Station which had moved to Cologne in late December 1918 and set up at the Evangelisches Krankenhaus in the Lindenthal area of Cologne. He is buried in Cologne Southern Cemetery, Germany.
Additional Information
His widow received a war gratuity of £21 and pay owing of £27 0s 10d. She also received a pension of 13s 9d a week and her address on pension records was 17 Cromwell Place, South Kensington, London. She later lived at The Chalet, Shenley.
N.B. The original spelling of the surname Hazledine is taken from the birth registration and censuses, however some other records spell the surname slightly differently.
Acknowledgments
Taff Williams, Brenda Palmer
Gareth Hughes, shenleyww1.wordpress.com,
