Name
Robert Cheshire
1898
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
25/03/1918
20
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
204378
East Surrey Regiment
12th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ARRAS MEMORIAL
Bay 6.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial, St John the Evangelist Church Memorial, Boxmoor, Not on the Bourne End memorials, Not on the Kings Langley memorials, Not on the Little Canfield, Essex Memorial
Pre War
Robert Cheshire was born in Little Canfield, Dunmow, Essex on 22 May 1898, the son of Esau and Alice Mary Cheshire and one of nine children. His mother was previously married to Thomas Brewster, who died in 1890, and had two sons, Archibald and Frederick who were Robert's stepbrothers. His two brothers Horace and Esau died in infancy.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at Highwood Corner, Little Canfield, Essex, where his father was a horse keeper on a farm. They moved to Hemel Hempstead in 1906 and Esau set up a business as a Cartage Contractor and Coal and Lime Dealer. Robert and his sister Mabel attended the Two Waters British School from March 1906. Robert left school in 1911 to start work and the family were then living at 38, London Road, Boxmoor.
On enlistment he was living at Shendish Gardens in Kings Langley, Herts where he was working as a gardener. Shendish Manor was built and owned by the Longman family and Arthur Longman developed the estate and built houses for his workers.
His parents were recorded as living at 218 London Road, Hemel Hempstead, Herts on pension records. They later lived at Broadway Nursery, Bourne End, Berkhamsted,
Wartime Service
When he reached the age of 18, Robert attested on 30 May 1916, joining the Bedfordshire Regiment, and was posted to the Reserve the following day. He was mobilized on 5 February 1917 and posted to the 3/5th Battalion at Felixstowe for basic training.
He was sent to France on 21 June 1917 and initially posted to the 7th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment under reg. no. 9348, later transferring to the the 12th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment, on 13 July 1917. He first saw major action at the Battle of Pilckem Ridge and the following September in the Battle of the Menin Road Ridge.
On 12 November, the East Surrey Regiment were moved to Italy with the 41st Division, and took up positions near Mantua, later moving to the front line north west of Treviso. By March 1918 they were back in France were in action at the Battle of St Quentin when they were under constant attack by German guns.
Robert was killed at the Battle of Baupame and was initially listed as missing and death was presumed on 25 March 1918. He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, France. He is one of 30 men from the 12th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment to have died on that day, and who are named on the memorial.
Additional Information
His father received a war gratuity of £6 and pay owing of £13 16s 5d. Pension records exist, but details of the pension amount could not be identified.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer, Stuart Osborne
Jonty Wild, www.rollofhonour.com., www.hemelheroes.com.,
