Poppy In memoriam Poppy

Private Robert Ross

 

 

 

Robert Ross was born at Brooke Street, Dungannon, County Tyrone, on 25 April 1889, one of nine children of linen lapper John Ross and his wife Elizabeth (nee Reynolds or Rollins). By 1911 he was living with his family at 318 Springfield Road, Falls, Belfast, and working as a general labourer in a linen warehouse.

Ross enlisted in the North Irish Horse at Antrim on 8 or 9 November 1915 (No.1829 – later Corps of Hussars No.71579). He embarked for France between 1916 and 1918, where he was posted to one of the three squadrons of the 1st North Irish Horse Regiment (formed from A, D and E Squadrons in May 1916). In February and March 1918 the regiment was dismounted and became a cyclist unit, serving as corps cyclists to V Corps for the remainder of the war.

Ross was killed in action on 21 August 1918, the first day of the Advance to Victory offensive's attack on the Somme front, probably during the assault on Beaucourt. He was buried in Beaucourt Cemetery, south-east of Beaumont-Hamel (map reference 57d.Q.18.b.5.6), the location marked with a cross. After the war his body was exhumed and re-buried in the Ancre British Cemetery, Beaumont-Hamel, Somme, France, grave VII.F.34.

His gravestone inscription reads:

71579 PRIVATE
R. ROSS
NORTH IRISH HORSE
21ST AUGUST 1918 AGE 25

 

Belfast Telegraph, 21 August 1919

 

 

Cemetery images Copyright © Phillip Tardif with all rights reserved as set out in this Use of Material policy. Image of Ross, from Belfast Evening Telegraph, kindly provided by Nigel Henderson, Researcher at History Hub Ulster (www.greatwarbelfastclippings.com).