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Robert Edgar (1895-1917)


Birtley man served with 6th DLI commemorated on Arras Memorial


Robert Edgar was born in County Durham sometime in 1895 to his parents Robert and Martha. He had three brothers and a sister, Eleanor, at the time of the 1911 census his cousins William and Joseph Murphy were living with the Family at 5 Orchard Street, Birtley. His father and brother worked as blacksmiths but Robert worked as a clerk, until he enlisted in the army.

He enlisted at Durham and joined the 6th Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry (DLI) as a private. Soon after he was deployed to France. He would have had arrived with the battaion as it defended trench lines in northern France, in early 1916.

Later in the year 6 DLI, as part of the 151st Brigade, moved to the Somme, taking heavy causalities in September as they fought at High wood. In November the 6 DLI attempted to assault the German fortifications at the Butte de Warlencourt, but poor conditions bogged down the attack. Robert had come through these battles without major injury and in 1917 6 DLI were moved on to Arras.

At Arras it was the British intent to break the German defensive line, known as the Hindenburg line, and force their enemy to retreat. The 151st Brigade were deployed south of the city, and fought at the sub-battle of the Scarpe river. Here, the 151st advanced on the high ground around the villages of Wancourt and Heninel, the fighting was heavy but the ground was taken, at a price.

The price in this circumstance was the life of Robert Edgar, who was killed in the fighting. As his body was not identified his name appears on the Arras Memorial. He received the Victory Medal and the British War Medal for his service.

Also see:

“The Boys of Birtley”, North East War Memorials Project website:
http://www.newmp.org.uk/article.php?categoryid=100&articleid=1269&displayorder=8

Civil Parish: Birtley

Birth date: 1895

Death date: 14-Apr-1917

Armed force/civilian: Army

Residence: 5 Orchard Street, Birtley(1911 Census)

Employment: Clerk (1911 Census)

Family: Father: Robert Edgar
Mother: Martha Edgar
Brothers: William Edgar, James Edgar, John Edgar
Sister: Eleanor Edgar
Cousins: William Murphy, Joseph Murphy

Military service:

1st/6th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry
Regimental Number: 250982
Private
Enlisted: Durham
Deployed: France

Medal(s): Victory Medal
British War Medal

Memorial(s): Arras Memorial Bay 8
Birthley Cenotaph, Birtley
DLI Book of Remembrance, Durham Cathedral

Gender: Male

Contributed by Daniel Hyatt

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