Pte Robert Warnes
Pte Robert Warnes
18184 8th Norfolk Died:19-Jul-16 Buried:Great Bray Military Cemetery Son of Mrs G Warnes, Gt Dunham Biography
Robert was born in 1892, the younger son of George and Julia. The family lived on Lexham Road, great Dunham. In 1911 Robert was working as a bricklayer’s labourer but when he joined the army he gave his occupation as a carter. Robert joined the Norfolk Regiment on 18th January 1915 and was placed in the 8th Battalion, a service battalion. The 8th Battalion trained in Colchester and on Salisbury Plain and were sent to France on 25th July 1915. They were sent to the Somme area where they served for the next year and a half. The 8th Battalion were one of the most successful on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, July 1st 1916. They took all their objectives near the village of Montauban, although at the great cost of 334 casualties, including 119 who died. Their next big battle was at Delville Wood on 19th July and it was on this day that Robert, along with another 100 Norfolks, died. He was buried in a small cemetery near to Delville Wood and later his body was exhumed and reburied at Bray Military Cemetery. Biography written by Matilda. |