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Robert Keith cap badgePrivate Robert Keith

1st Battalion Irish Guards
Service No: 5393

Robert Keith grave

1061

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Click here for a frameable A4 print
Personal details

Family Information

Son of Martha Keith (McCallion) of Castlerock, Co. Londonderry. Robert's Guardian was Mrs Leah Hall. From the 1901 Census - Address - 27 Miller St, Coatbridge - Martha Keith (McCallion) aged 44, Robert Keith aged 24, Martha Keith aged 14, Hugh Keith aged 10, Elizabeth Keith aged 17, John Keith aged 4, Robert's grandmother Mary McCallion aged 70, boarders Clark McIntyre aged 23, James Canning aged 20, Frank Munro aged 35. Robert's Pension was awarded to his mother Martha of Castlerock, Co. Londonderry and his sister Leah Hall of 62 North Park St, Queen's Cross, Glasgow.

Born / Resided

Coleraine, Co. Londonderry / 40 Muiryhall St, Coatbridge

Died

Killed in Action on the 10/10/1917 at the Battle of Poelcapelle (part of the Battles of Ypres)

Enlisted

Glasgow 1914

Employed

Iron Worker.

Age

40

Buried / Remembered

Tyne Cot Memorial (Panel 10 to 11), West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.

Cemetery / Memorial Information

The battles of the Ypres Salient claimed many lives on both sides and it quickly became clear that the commemoration of members of the Commonwealth forces with no known grave would have to be divided between several different sites. The site of the Menin Gate was chosen because of the hundreds of thousands of men who passed through it on their way to the battlefields. It commemorates those of all Commonwealth nations, except New Zealand, who died in the Salient, in the case of United Kingdom casualties before 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions). Those United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after that date are named on the memorial at Tyne Cot, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war. Other New Zealand casualties are commemorated on memorials at Buttes New British Cemetery and Messines Ridge British Cemetery. The Tyne Cot Memorial now bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose graves are not known.

Additional Information

The Battalion arrived at Le Havre on the 13/08/1914 and were part of the 1st Guards Brigade, Guards Division. Robert arrived in France on the 06/03/1915. Robert fell the day after the Battle of Poelcapelle, 09/10/1917. This was part of the Battles of Ypres, 1917 (Third Ypres), 31st July - 10th November 1917 : The British finally got what they had wanted since 1914: the opportunity to attack at Ypres and breakout of the confines of the salient of trenches around it. Often known as the Third Battle of Ypres or Passchendaele, the offensive began with encouraging gains but terrible summer weather soon bogged it down. By August the offensive was clearly failing in its objectives and had descended into attritional fighting. New techniques by both sides led to agonisingly slow forward movement for the British, at enormous cost in casualties to both sides. Bad weather in October led to the battlefield becoming an impossible quagmire. Robert is also remembered on the St. John's Church Roll of Honour (see photos). See photos for Robert's Medal Index Card, an aerial view of Tyne Cot Cemetery and Memorial, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, his listing on the Ireland Casualties WW1, his name on the Tyne Cot Memorial, his CWGC Grave Registration, his name on the Tyne Cot Memorial Panel List, the Irish Guards Cap Badge and Robert's Pension Records x 4.

Photos
Robert Keith Medal Index CardRobert Keith newspaper clippingRobert Keith remembered at homeRobert Keith remembered at homeRobert Keith remembered at homeRobert Keith remembered at homeRobert Keith additional photoRobert Keith additional photoRobert Keith additional photoRobert Keith additional photoRobert Keith additional photoRobert Keith additional photoRobert Keith additional photoRobert Keith additional photo

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