77708, Private, Robert FORRESTER
Aged 18
|
Born in Newmarket in Q4-1899 [Newmarket 3b:502] to Robert and Hannah FORRESTER (née WISEMAN) of 2 Rosa Cottages, Lisburn Road,
Newmarket.
1901 census...Robert [1] was living at 2 Rosa Cottages, Lisburn Road, Newmarket with his father Robert [34]a bricklayer; his mother Hannah [36]; sisters Elizabeth [11] and Lavinia [9] and brothers Alfred [8] and John [3]. The whole family were born in Newmarket. 1911 census...Robert [11] was still at 2 Rosa Cottages with his parents and brothers, neither of his sisters were there. Robert enlisted in Newmarket. His elder brother John was killed in 1917.. see here |
|
The Bury Free Press of 14th September 1918 recorded:-
NEWMARKET BROTHERS KILLED-Prvt. Robert Forrester, Royal Fusiliers, killed in action in France on August 23rd, was the their, and youngest son of Mr.Robert Forrester, a popular member of the Newmarket District Fire Brigade and Town Band. Mr. and Mrs. Forrester's eldest son, Sergt.J.Forrester, met his death in action less than ten months ago; and their second son. Prvt. A.Forrester, has been a prisoner in Germany for seventeen months. Prvt. Robert Forrester was scarcely 19 years of age and previous to joining up was employed in the Earl of Derby's gardens at Stanley House, Newmarket. 23rd August 1918:- “The 13th Royal Fusiliers, attacking on the south-west, had a stirring time. No. 2 Company, under Captain Whitehead, M.C., on the left front, skilfully turned the brickworks west of Achiet le Grand, capturing 60 prisoners and 11 light machine guns; but No. 3 Company, on the right, met with intense machine- gun fire on the top of the railway embankment. The Germans were in good cover, and could not be easily located. The attack was held up temporarily, and then, under cover of a heavy and sustained fire, the men were enabled to crawl up the embankment and enfilade the enemy. A Lewis-gun team rushed across and took the Germans in the rear. Indeed, this was a fight of fights. The team were picked off one by one, but not before they had so demoralised the Germans that a sudden rush finished the struggle. The cutting was like a rabbit warren. It was simply alive with Germans, and their surrender was almost embarrassing. Dug-out after dug-out was cleared. One of them disgorged a German staff, including an officer who spoke English. He was promptly pressed into service, and went round with the mopping-up party. His authoritative orders to come out and surrender were obeyed with alacrity. Out of this cutting at least 400 Germans were taken, with many light and heavy machine guns. The position had been thought so secure that in one of the dug-outs a meal had just been taken. Hot coffee lay on the table. It was one of the greatest days experienced by the battalion, and their right flank was apparently in the air. Patrols were sent down for 1,000 yards without locating any other troops. The cutting was crossed, and the advance was resumed. Through the battalion's collecting station that day over 1,000 prisoners passed, and the battalion's casualties from the 21st to the 27th inclusive were little more than a fifth of this number. Captain J. Marguard and Second Lieutenant A. McCarthy were killed in this engagement, and 5 officers were wounded;other Ranks Killed 45; Wounded 172; Missing 7 |
Robert's original burial, re-interred in cemetery in 1919 photo: Michael J. Pettitt photo: Roy Beardsworth
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details