Robert Arthur Proud (1900-1918)
From Tow Law. Died of wounds ten days before the Armistice.
Robert Proud was born at Sunniside, near Tow Law, in County Durham in 1900, the son of a coal miner. On 23 May 1917, Robert was attested (enrolled) in the Army, but, as he had an important job as a putter in a local colliery and was underage, he was not mobilised (called-up for service) until May 1918.
On 26 September 1918, after training with the 3rd Battalion DLI, 95770 Private Proud was posted to France and joined the 2nd Battalion DLI a few days later. In October 1918, as the Allies continued their advance in northern France, 2 DLI fought several actions around the rivers Selle and Sambre, losing over 250 men killed or wounded to enemy shelling and machine-gun fire. In one of these attacks, Private Proud was shot in the right thigh. On 1 November 1918, he died of his wounds in No. 2 General Hospital at Le Havre and was buried in a nearby cemetery.
For further information:
Commonwealth War Grave Commission: https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/4020773/proud,-robert-arthur/
North East War Memorials Project: http://www.newmp.org.uk/detail.php?contentId=8820#listlink
Civil Parish: Crook and Billy Row
Birth date: 1900
Death date: 1-Nov-1918
Armed force/civilian: Army
Residence: 1911 Census & Attestation Papers: Front Street, Sunniside, near Tow Law, County Durham.
Religion: Wesleyan
Employment: Putter
Family: Parents: William & Jane Proud.
Military service:
Attested 23 May 1917, aged 17 years and 10 months. Posted to the Army Reserve.
Mobilised 31 May 1918 and trained with 3 DLI.
Sent to France on 26 September 1918 and posted to 2 DLI.
Died of wounds on 1 November 1918 at 2 General Hospital, Le Havre.
Medal(s): British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Memorial(s): Buried: Ste Marie Cemetery, Le Havre, France.
War Memorial, Sunniside, County Durham.
Gender: Male
Contributed by Durham County Record Office
