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SKELTON - IN - CLEVELAND
IN HISTORY
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"WE WILL REMEMBER THEM"
4282 Private ROBERT SPEECHLEY.
4th Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment.
Died, aged 22, on the 10th August 1916.
Enlisted at Saltburn by Sea, N Yorks.
Son of Rimis and Eola Speechley of 12 William St, North Skelton, N Yorkshire.
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Quarry Cemetery Montauban, 10k East of Albert.
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FAMILY:-
1901. Robert, aged 6, was living at 12 William St, N Skelton and had been born in North Skelton.
His father, Rimes, aged 54, worked as a Milk Seller and had been born at Farcet, Peterborough, Huntingdonshire.
His mother, Eda, aged 35, had been born at Cotby, Norfolk. BYy 1911 she has had 4 children and 3 are still living.
There is an older son, George age 28, also a milk seller and born in New Brotton, Yorks, who must be from Rimis'
first marriage.
Edwin, age 11, born in Grangetown must be from Eda's first marriage as he is listed as Step-son, with sur-name Woods.
1911. The family are still at 12 William St. Robert, now 16, is working in the Ironstone Mine below ground as a Rope Changer.
Edwin is an Ironstone Tipper, above ground.
Robert has a little sister Amy Helena, aged 4 and his Grandmother, Amy Ellis, aged 76 is now living with the family.
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WAR SITUATION:-
The 4th Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment were part of the 150th Brigade, 50th (Northumbrian) Division.
Robert's Medal Card shows that he was not awarded the 1914/15 Star and therefore did not join the 4th Yorks Battalion in France until 1916.
On the day Robert died the 4th Battalion were out of action and were moving from the Kemmel area down to the Somme.
The War Diary says that men were moved from the Field Ambulances [mobile Hospitals] when they were in no fit condition to leave.
Robert is buried 10 kilometres East of Albert, Somme.
Perhaps date of death, as given by the CWGC is not correct, as "Soldiers Died in the Great War" gives manner of death as "killed in action". Either that or Robert was not in the 4th Battalion and served in the 7th Yorks Battalion, who saw action in the area and at the time when he lost his life.
The 4th Battalion War Diary of the time can be read here.
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