Geboortedatum: 17/02/1887

Geboorteplaats: Shettleston, Lanarkshire, Schotland, Verenigd Koninkrijk

Land: Schotland, Verenigd Koninkrijk

Strijdmacht: British Expeditionary Force

Rang: Private

Service nummer: 21605

Dienstneming plaats: Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Schotland, Verenigd Koninkrijk

Eenheden:  —  Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), 1st Bn.  (Laatst gekende eenheid)

Datum van overlijden: 27/09/1917

Plaats van overlijden: Stirling Castle, Zillebeke, België

Doodsoorzaak: Killed in action (K.I.A.)

Leeftijd: 30

British War Medal Medaille — 05/05/1920

Victory Medal Medaille — 05/05/1920

Private Robert Hillhouse served in the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), 1st Battalion, part of the 19th Brigade, of the 33rd Division. The 33rd Division participated in the Battle of Polygon Wood (26 September – 3 October), part of the Third Battle of Ypres.

The Division attacked with the 100th and 98th Brigade on the 26th of September. It advanced from Veldhoek towards the village of Geluveld, along the northern side of the Menin Road. The 1st Battalion of the Cameronians was in reserve near Stirling Castle. At 4 a.m. all Companies of the Battalion were sent up. “A” Company was to support the 1st/4th King’s (Liverpool Regiment), of the 98th Brigade while “B” Company was to support and reinforce the 1st Battalion of the Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment). “C” and “D” Companies remained in reserve near Inverness Copse.

When the Queen’s had been halted by a German strongpoint, “B” Company assisted the Queen’s by storming and capturing the German pillbox. After two failed German counterattacks during the afternoon, “C” and “D” Companies were also ordered to move up and they set up a strongpoint astride the Menin Road to the Northwest of Inverness Copse in case any other counterattacks developed. On the 27th of September 1917 the 1st Cameronians moved back to positions in the vicinity of Stirling Castle and Jam Support. German shelling was very heavy throughout the day.

Private Robert Hillhouse was killed in action on the 27th of September 1917. He possibly fell victim, due to the German shelling near Stirling Castle. His remains were not found or were never identified and he is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial.

1 Battalion Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) , (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 95/2422/2). https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14303 Verdere verwijzing

McCarthy C., The Third Ypres Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account, (London, Arms & Armour Press, 1995), pg. 83-86. Gebruikte bronnen

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/836617

Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=b3eda0af-1ab8-42c0-b7a7-6c6490ac5fda

Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/1882271