Pte
Norman Leslie Roberts
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 18/02/1885 |
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Place of birth: St. Austell, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom |
General information
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Profession: Tin Miner |
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: 28926 |
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Enlistment place: Camborne, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom |
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Units: — Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, 7th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 16/08/1917 |
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Place of death: Schreiboom, Langemark, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 32 |
Memorial
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Tyne Cot Memorial Panel: 82A |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal — 01/05/1920 |
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Victory Medal Medal — 01/05/1920 |
Points of interest 2
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place |
My story
Norman Leslie Roberts was born in 1885, together with his twin brother, Jasper Blewett Roberts, in St Austell, Cornwall. He was the son of James Roberts and Grace Blewett. Norman’s mother died that same year and he was adopted. In 1908 Norman married his girlfriend, Elizabeth Jane Bassett. Together they had four daughters. They lived in Camborne, Cornwall, where he worked in a tin mine in Camborne, Cornwall. By the summer of 1917 Norman had joined the army and served with Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, 7th Battalion, part of the 61st Brigade, of the 20th (Light) Division in Flanders.
On 16 August 1917 the 7th Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry participated in the attack on the ruins of Langemark. They were to take the third and last objective, at the hamlet of Schreiboom, to the northeast of the village. The 7th King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry advanced before them, capturing Langemark. At 7.20. a.m. Norman’s Battalion continued the attack, moving along the railway. They met opposition at two group of huts. While advancing considerable casualties were caused by machine-gun fire coming from the direction of Japan House, Blue House and the Langemark Cemetery. Notwithstanding the withering fire the Battalion was able to consolidate a line in front of ‘t Goed ter Vesten Farm and Chinese House. Two German counterattacks in the evening endangered the position of the Battalion, but both attacks were eventually broken up and the men were able to maintain their positions.
Private Norman Leslie Roberts was killed in action during the attack on Schreiboom, leaving behind a wife and four young daughters. The 32-year old has no known grave and is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial.
On 16 August 1917 the 7th Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry participated in the attack on the ruins of Langemark. They were to take the third and last objective, at the hamlet of Schreiboom, to the northeast of the village. The 7th King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry advanced before them, capturing Langemark. At 7.20. a.m. Norman’s Battalion continued the attack, moving along the railway. They met opposition at two group of huts. While advancing considerable casualties were caused by machine-gun fire coming from the direction of Japan House, Blue House and the Langemark Cemetery. Notwithstanding the withering fire the Battalion was able to consolidate a line in front of ‘t Goed ter Vesten Farm and Chinese House. Two German counterattacks in the evening endangered the position of the Battalion, but both attacks were eventually broken up and the men were able to maintain their positions.
Private Norman Leslie Roberts was killed in action during the attack on Schreiboom, leaving behind a wife and four young daughters. The 32-year old has no known grave and is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial.
Sources 6
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"Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account", McCarthy C., London, Uniform, 2018, pg. 56-58. Sources used |
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"The history of the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry 1914-1919", Wyrall E., Londen, Methuen & Co., 1932 , pg. 262-270. Sources used |
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Ancestry https://www.ancestry.com/ Further reference |
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CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/830929/roberts,-norman-leslie/ Sources used |
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The Long, Long Trail http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/ Sources used |
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War Diary Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, 7th Bn. http://www.nmarchive.com/ Further reference |