Name
Robert James Slough
1881
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
15/04/1918
36
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
56506
Devonshire Regiment
6th Labour Coy.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ST. PIERRE CEMETERY, AMIENS
XVI. E. 4.
France
Headstone Inscription
UNTIL THE MORNING BREAKS AND SHADOWS FLEE AWAY
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial, St John the Evangelist Church Memorial, Boxmoor, Not on the St Albans memorials
Pre War
Robert James Slough was born in 1881 in St Albans, Herts, the son of Henry Isaac and Emily Slough and baptised there on 30 October 1881. He was one of 14 children, although two died in infancy.
The family had lived in St Albans, but they moved to Boxmoor when his father started a new job at John Dickinson & Co Ltd in 1885. On the 1891 Census the family were living at Two Waters, Hemel Hempstead, Herts where his father was working as a Machine Fitter. They remained there in 1901, living at 42 London Road, at which time Robert was working as a Stereotyper (Print), working for John Dickinson & Co Ltd at Apsley Mills.
His 11 year old brother Richard died in 1901 and his mother died in 1906 and by 1911 he was a boarder at the home of William and Emma Faulkner at 47 Vastern Road, Reading, and working as a Stereotyper at a general print works. (Cox & Wyman)
His father later lived at 37 Bridge Street, Hemel Hempstead, Herts before his death in 1919.
Wartime Service
Robert was called up in January 1917 and enlisted in Reading, Berkshire when he was 35 and joined the 6th Infantry Labour Company, Devonshire Regiment under reg. no. 58506. In April 1917 changes were made to the newly formed Labour Corps and the 6th Infantry Labour Company of the Devonshire Regiment became the 171st Labour Corps. His reg. no. was also changed to 102382.
It is not known where Robert was after arriving in France, neither are the circumstances of his death known, other than he was killed in action on 15 April 1918, aged 36, during the German Spring Offensive and is buried at St Pierre Cemetery, Amiens, France.
Additional Information
His father, Mr H Slough, 37 Bridge Street, Hemel Hempstead, Herts,, ordered his headstone inscription: “UNTIL THE MORNING BREAKS AND SHADOWS FLEE AWAY”. His father received a war gratuity of £5 and pay owing of £12 9s 0d. His brother Harry Slough obtained probate of his estate in London on 25 June 1920 with effects of £245 15s 1d. Brother to Andrew Slough who served with the Welsh Fusiliers and was killed in action on 12 July 1916 and Albert Joseph Slough who served in the Royal Navy and was killed in action on 31 May 1916 on HMS Queen Mary. All three brothers are named on the Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial and Boxmoor Church Memorial. His brother Edward also served but survived the war. N.B. Medal Index Cards give his reg. no. as 58506 and not 56506 as on CWGC.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.hemelatwar,org., www.hemelatwar.org., www.hemelheroes.com.
