World War One - Image Gallery

The Company, possibly 1915 (end of training?)

Possibly 1915 (end of training?) - click for large photo in new browser window. Reverse has 24 signatures - click for large photo in new browser window.
Robert S Robertson is on the fourth row down from the back, and thirteenth from the left.

Glasgow, November 1915. Off to war.

Pte Robert S Robertson. 1915 in France.

Late 1914 or 1915. Robert Robertson (back, right).

1915, on leave. Robert (seated, right) with friends.

Robert S Robertson ~ 1916/17

Here Robert has been promoted to the rank of Corporal. On the back of the photograph is written "1916" - according to records he was in France throughout all of 1916.

During the first half of 1916 ".... our battalion was moved to various parts of the line such as the Brickfields, Beaumont Hamel, to the right of Thiepval, Bapaume also in front of Albert where one part, known as La Boiselle, the lines were only a few yards apart and there was constant bombing by patrols for it was impossible to have fixed posts there."

"Towards the end of June 1916 we were taken out of the line to a village ten miles behind where we underwent intensive training for the forthcoming 'Battle of the Somme'. On the evening of 30th June we proceeded up the front line trenches, but before doing so I handed to my friend the A.O.C. corporal a small parcel of personal possessions to be sent to my mother in case I didn't return."

1st July, 1916, saw the start of the Battle of the Somme. After the battle he would return to Bouzincourt, where it is believed he spent Christmas and New Year.

Promotion to 2nd Lieutenant. For transcipt see this page.

Newspaper cutting - Prisoner of War in Germany

Missing In Action

Dated 3rd June 1918, this is the letter written to the mother of Robert Robertson informing her that her son was missing following a battle in late May.

For more information:

Transcript\images of all 4 pages in the letter

Prisoner of War

Letter dated 15th June 1918 and written in the POW Camp Rastatt (Baden) - a military transit camp - this is the first (of 3) letters to Robert's family back home in Glasgow, Scotland.

The first letter is informing his family that he was captured on 27th May at Crayonelle and that he is now a prisoner of war.

For more information:

Transcript and images of the complete letter plus links to the other two letters

Offizier-Gefangenenlager - Stralsund/Dänholm - dated 28th June 1918
Die Kassen-Kommission des Offizer-Gefangenenlagers Stralsund/Dänholm
"No idea what this is! On the left is the front cover, and the inside resembles a sort of bank book."
Click here to open large version in new browser window

Prisoners of War

POW Camp Stralsund-Dänholm

Robert Robertson is standing (back, left).

In a letter he wrote to his sister Meg, dated 20th October 1918, he wrote:

"Last week our Battalion was photographed and I had to borrow tunic and breeches for the occasion. I have seen the proof and as usual I look a picture."

Presumably this is that photograph!

Victory Dinner

A Victory Dinner was held on 3rd January 1919 at The Grand Hotel, Charing Cross, Glasgow. The front & back of the menu have been signed by members of the company.

An interesting menu .... some dishes named after places that, presumably, the battalion 'visited' during overseas action.

Hors D'Oeuvres Dundonald
Consommé Troon Ou Crême Codford
Filets De Ovillers La Boisselle
Ris De Veau Aveluy
Poulet Roti A La Bouzincourt
Salade Molliens
Petits Pois Bécourt
Pommes Rubempre
Flan Bethune
Meringue Blighty
Café Charing Cross
Tickler — Maconachie — Verboten

See Victory Dinner menu for more information including the signed back of the menu.

Robertson Speirs Robertson

13th March 1919

Studio photograph taken in Glasgow.

Lapel 'insignia' of soldier serving
in the Machine Gun Corps

Uniform 'insignia' of 2nd Lieutenant

Letter dated 11th June 1919 exonerating Lt.RS Robertson, Machine Gun Corps., from any blame regarding capture by the German Army

Robert Speirs Robertson: British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Card 1914-1920 (front)

Robert Speirs Robertson: British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Card 1914-1920 (back)

Photograph Wallet

Throughout the war Edmund Jones carried a small leather wallet containing these photos of his wife Beatrice and their four daughters.

It is thought that Edmund was in the Royal Army Veterinary Corps. At some point he was wounded and hospitalised in Rouen, France, in 1918, after which he returned home.

Edmund on his Wedding Day, Christmas Day 1901, to Beatrice Elizabeth Shaw

After the war his daughter Winifred would meet and marry Robert Speirs Robertson - subject of much of this WWI section.

William Percy Shaw

1885 ~ 1918

William served in the Royal Army Service Corps attached to the Tank Corps.

He died 21st November 1918 aged 33, &
is buried in the St. Pol British Cemetery, St. Pol-Sur-Ternoise, France.

Son of Kate Shaw, of Nottingham, and Reuben George Shaw, husband of Mabel Sealy (formerly Shaw), of 185 Bexhill Road, St. Leonards-on-Sea, Sussex.

Commemorated in perpetuity by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

St. Pol British Cemetery on the CWGC

St. Pol British Cemetery

The town of St. Pol is about 29 kilometres south-west of Bethune and 34 kilometres west-north-west of Arras. The Cemetery is
to the south of the town on the road to Frevent (the D916).

St. Pol-sur-Ternoise was a military administrative centre during the whole of
the First World War and was taken over by Commonwealth troops from the French in March 1916. No.12 Stationary Hospital was posted on the race-course near the town
from 1 June 1916 to 1 June 1919.

St. Pol British Cemetery was begun in March 1918, when the extension to the communal cemetery was almost full; the last burial was made in July 1920.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

St. Pol British Cemetery on the CWGC

POSTCARD: Basilica of Notre-Dame-de-Brebières [Albert (Somme), France] before bombardment

POSTCARD: Basilica of Notre-Dame-de-Brebières [Albert (Somme), France] after bombardment

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Memories of WWI

In 1967 Robert Robertson entered a Lincolnshire essay competition with his story "My Memories of WWI".
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