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SKELTON - IN - CLEVELAND
IN HISTORY
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"WE WILL REMEMBER THEM"
21544 Private ROBERT ERNEST GARBUTT
9th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own).
Killed in action, age 27, on the 13th of June 1917.
Husband of Sarah Garbutt of 9 Vaughan St, North Skelton, N Yorks.
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Ypres, Menin Gate Memorial.
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FAMILY:-
This information has been researched and kindly contributed by Owen Rooks of Sunderland and a native of Skelton.
Robert was born at Lingdale, N Yorks in September 1890.
1891. He is living in the High Street, Skelton in Cleveland.
He had been born out of wedlock, as his Mother, Hannah Garbutt, is recorded as a Single, 23 year old Domestic General, Housekeeper. She had been born in Castleton, N Yorks.
The head of the house is Robert's Grandmother, also Hannah, who is a 64 year old Dressmaker.
Robert's Uncle, James Garbutt, aged 28, lives with them and is employed as an Ironstone Miner.
1896 March. Robert's Mother, Hannah married James Hill Beadnall, 2 years older than her and a Deputy in the Ironstone Mines.
1901. Robert is living with his Mother and new Step-father at 61 Errington St, Brotton, N Yorks.
There was a shame attached to illegitimacy in those days and Robert is recorded with the Surname Beadnall.
He has a 4 year old Step-brother, William.
1911. The family have moved to 9 Park Terrace, Brotton, and Robert, now aged 20, is working as a Horse Driver in the Ironstone Mines.
His surname is again given as Beadnall.
His step-brother, just 14, is working as a Labourer.
1915 December. Robert married Sarah Jane Froud[e].
In 1911 she had been recorded as a General Servant Domestic in the house of John Watson, a Shipyard Manager at 10 Woodlands Tce, Redcar, N Yorks.
Robert arrived in Gallipoli on the 26th October 1915 and was possibly at home wounded at this time.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission correspondence was sent on his death to his wife, Sarah Garbutt at 9 Vaughan St, North Skelton, N Yorks.
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WAR SITUATION:-
Robert's Battalion were part of the 32nd Brigade, 11th (Northern) Division.
His medal card shows that he was a Volunteer and was awarded the 1914/15 Star. He first entered the War on 26 October 1915 in the "Balkans"
The lads of the 6th Yorks Battalion who fought in Turkey at Gallipoli in 1915 have this same entry on their Medal Cards.
Robert must have been involved in all the futile campaign, where a man was fortunate to survive.
In January 1916 the Division took over the defence of a section of the Suez Canal.
In July 1916 they moved to France and took part in the later Battles of the Somme.
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In 1917 the Division was ordered North to the Ypres sector.
Unless he had time out wounded, Robert must have been involved in all of these operations.
At the time of his death his Battalion fought in the Battle of Messines, which was a preliminary to the Flanders Offensive, the Battle of Ypres or Passchendaele.
The Messines ridge was high ground to the South of Ypres, which the Germans had held since 1914. A dozen mines were dug beneath the Germans and most exploded killing some 10.000.
The Infantry then advanced and it has been described as the most successful operation of the War.
Robert Garbutt was killed in this action.
MEMORIAL
He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, which bears the names of over 54,000 men.
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