Pte
Robert Willie Brighton
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1881 |
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Place of birth: Skipton, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom |
General information
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Last known residence: Hartlepool, Durham, England, United Kingdom |
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Profession: Police Constable |
Army information
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Country: England, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 14493 |
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Enlistment place: Hartlepool, Durham, England, United Kingdom |
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Units: — Coldstream Guards, 3rd Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 30/08/1917 |
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Place of death: Charter House Camp, Elverdinge, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 36 |
Cemetery
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Bleuet Farm Cemetery Plot: I Row: H Grave: 30 |
Points of interest 4
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Last known residence | ||
| #3 | Enlistment place | ||
| #4 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Robert Willie Brighton was the son of Edward and Elizabeth Brighton. He was born around 1881 in Skipton, North Yorkshire, UK. In 1905 he married Mary Ellen Brighton and by 1911 they had two children: Norman Robert was 2 years old at the time and Elizabeth Jane Morrish was 7 months. They lived at 14 Blaydon Street in Hartlepool, Durham. Robert enlisted in the British Expeditionary Force at West Hartlepool and joined the 3rd Battalion Coldstream Guards (1st Guards Brigade, Guards Division).
Robert died on 30 August 1917. The day before, on 29 August, the 3rd Battalion Coldstream Guards moved by train towards Elverdinge, where they stayed at Charter House Camp. On 30 August, the 3rd Battalion Coldstream Guards formed a working party that included bringing trench boards forward and digging cable. Although they were in the hinterland, it didn’t mean they were safe. On 30 August, the area where Charter House Camp was located was shelled. Three men were killed and 17 wounded.
One of those killed was 36-year-old Robert Willie Brighton. He was buried in nearby Bleuet Farm Cemetery (plot I, row H, grave 30).
Robert died on 30 August 1917. The day before, on 29 August, the 3rd Battalion Coldstream Guards moved by train towards Elverdinge, where they stayed at Charter House Camp. On 30 August, the 3rd Battalion Coldstream Guards formed a working party that included bringing trench boards forward and digging cable. Although they were in the hinterland, it didn’t mean they were safe. On 30 August, the area where Charter House Camp was located was shelled. Three men were killed and 17 wounded.
One of those killed was 36-year-old Robert Willie Brighton. He was buried in nearby Bleuet Farm Cemetery (plot I, row H, grave 30).
Sources 5
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1 Guards Brigade, (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 95/1214/1). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
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3 Battalion Coldstream Guards, (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 95/1215/3 ). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
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Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901 (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), RG13). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
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Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911 (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), RG14). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
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Soldiers Effects Records (National Army Museum, Chelsea (NAM) 1901-60; NAM Accesion Number: 1991-02-333). https://www.nam.ac.uk/ Sources used |
More information 3
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/436348 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=a52c284b-d5df-478f-9812-affc56f31c5c |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/500718 |