Name
Robert Edward Frederic Shaw (MC)
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
23/08/1918
26
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lieutenant Colonel
London Regiment *1
13th (Kensington) Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Military Cross
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
CABARET-ROUGE BRITISH CEMETERY, SOUCHEZ
VIII. N. 11.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Langleybury Village Memorial, Individual plaque, St Paul's Church, Langleybury, Abbots Langley Village Memorial
Biography
Robert Shaw, or “Fred” as he was better known, remarkably attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, and was commanding a battalion at the relatively young age of 26. He was not recorded on the Abbots Langley War Memorial, although reports of his progress and of his death, killed in action was included in the Abbots Langley Parish Magazine throughout the War. He was also mentioned throughout the War in the Langleybury Parish Magazine.
Fred was a Langleybury “man”. He was born in 1892 at Llangattock in Monmouthshire, where his father was the Vicar. He was the only son of the Rev. Robert and Agnes Shaw, who also had three daughters. At the time of the 1901 Census the family had moved to St Paul’s Vicarage at Langleybury, but at that time Fred was not living with them. He was recorded in the Wisden Cricket Archives playing for Forest School (Snaresbrook) between 1908 and 1910, before moving on to Keble College, Oxford. On 30th May 1910 Fred, batting No 6, scored 19 runs in Forest Green’s 35 run win against the Royal Naval School.
The Langleybury Parish Magazine reported sporadically on the progress of their parishioners throughout the War, and Fred was noted in January and May 1915 as being “At the Front”. In June 1916 he was recorded serving with 13th Kensington’s. This battalion had mustered at Abbots Langley shortly after War was declared in August 1914, and had moved to France in early November of the same year. The Abbots Langley Parish Magazine recorded that he joined the Kensington’s at that point.
Fred was reported severely wounded in May 1915 in the Wisden records and then as wounded in February 1917 and again in the November 1917 in the Parish Magazine. At some point in the War he was awarded the Military Cross. Unfortunately his Service Record has been lost and more detail about these events has not been found.
In October 1917 the Langleybury Parish Magazine reported “We congratulate Captain Fred Shaw on his promotion to be Lieutenant Colonel, while commanding the First Battalion of the 13th London (Kensington) regiment, which will always be remembered with affection in Abbots Langley and Hunton Bridge”.
He was killed in action on 23rd August 1918. The 13th Kensington’s were engaged at Boyelles, about seven miles south of Arras. They suffered heavy casualties advancing to the south of the village and were caught by heavy artillery and machine gun fire, but pressed on to their objective and captured 176 prisoners, 11machine guns and several trench mortars. Fred Shaw was killed along with fourteen other men and ninety five men were wounded.
In October 1918 the Abbots Langley Parish Magazine recorded – “The sympathy of all in the Parish will be felt with the Vicar of Langleybury and Mrs Shaw on the death of their gallant son, Lieut-Colonel Fred Shaw. He joined the Kensington Regiment as a subaltern when they were stationed here in 1914, and rose to be the Colonel. He commanded and led his Regiment in a most gallant and distinguished manner and at the time of his death, on August 23rd, he had just achieved most brilliant success”.
Robert “Fred” Shaw was buried at Cabaret Rouge British Cemetery, Souchez France, and was commemorated on the Langleybury War Memorial.
Acknowledgments
Roger Yapp - www.backtothefront.org
