Pte 26554 Robert Wallace

His grandparents and family structure appear on the 1871 Census at a house and butchers shop at 215 Netherfield Road, Everton. Born in Scotland are; Father William, aged 42 a butcher, mother Mary(nee Bowie) is aged 42, children Margaret 16, William 15 an office boy, Robert 13 a scholar and John 11 a scholar. Born in Liverpool are; David 7 a scholar (witness at brother Robert’s wedding), Walter 5 a scholar, Henry 2 and Alexander 5 months. 

On the 1881 Census 1881 father Robert Wallace is aged 24, a barman, boarding with the Mackey family at 5 Preston Street, Liverpool. 

Robert Wallace was born in Liverpool on 20th November 1885 the son of Robert Wallace and Ellen (née Anson), who were married on the 25th February 1883 at St. Peter’s Church, Walton-on-the-Hill. Robert was of full age, the son of William Wallace, a deceased butcher, and lived in Kirkdale, whilst Mary was also of Kirkdale, father William a galvanizer. His mother was born in Birmingham and his father was born on the 05th February 1858 in Ayr, Scotland.

Robert was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 30, at the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive.

19^th Battalion Diary 30^th July 1916

MALTZ HORN FARM

BATTLE begun. ZERO hour 4:45 am. The Battalion reached its objective, but suffered heavy losses, and had to evacuate its position owing to no reinforcements.

Everard Wyrall gives details of the attack in his book The History of The King’s Regiment; 

"The 2nd Attack on Guillemont- 29th July 1916 the 89th Brigade the 20th King's were to attack on the right and the 19th on the left. During the evening of the 29th the night was dark and foggy when the Battalions moved off and the 19th with Lt Col G Rollo commanding, when passing the South east of the Briqueterie they were heavily shelled first with H E and then with a new kind of asphyxiating Gas shell which had curious results, at first it had no nasty effect but about 8 hrs later men began to fall sick with violent headaches and pains in the stomach. All ranks had to wear gas masks which in the darkness and mist made the going terribly difficult. It was indeed wonderful that they were able to reach their Assembly point at all. But they did and by 2.45 a.m. on the 30th July 1916 the Btn was assembled having suffered about 30 Casualties on the way up ready for the Zero hour at 4.45 a.m.

It is known that the two left Companies of the 19th under Capt. Dodd and Capt. Nicholson advanced in touch with the 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers on their left although they suffered many casualties from Machine gun Fire did not encounter many Germans and reached their final objective about the time allocated, beginning at once to dig in south of the orchard on the South east corner of Guillemont.  

On the left of the 19th the Scots Fusiliers most gallantly forced their way through Guillemont to the eastern side of the village but were soon overwhelmed by the enemy and few returned. 

At 8 a.m. finding that the village was not held the two left Companies of the 19th received no word from the rear or either flank believed themselves to be totally isolated so were forced to fall back and dig in, their position being untenable.

At midday the effective fighting strength of the 19th Btn was just 7 Officers and 43 other ranks" 

When darkness fell on the battlefield the 30^th Division held a line from the railway on the eastern side of Trones Wood , southwards and including Arrow Head Copse, to east of Maltz Horn Farm. On this line the division was relieved by the 55^th Division during the early hours of the 31^st July.

Casualties in the 19^th Battalion were 11 Officers and 435 Other Ranks 

The events of 30^th July 1916 were regarded at the time as Liverpool’s blackest day. There follows an extract from The History of the 89^th Brigade written by Brigadier General Ferdinand Stanley which gives an indication of the events of the day.

Guillemont

Well the hour to advance came, and of all bad luck in the world it was a thick fog; so thick that you couldn’t see more than about ten yards. It was next to impossible to delay the attack – it was much too big an operation- so forward they had to go. It will give some idea when I say that on one flank we had to go 1,750 yards over big rolling country. Everyone knows what it is like to cross enclosed country which you know really well in a fog and how easy it is to lose your way. Therefore, imagine these rolling hills, with no landmarks and absolutely unknown to anyone. Is it surprising that people lost their way and lost touch with those next to them? As a matter of fact, it was wonderful the way in which many men found their way right to the place we wanted to get to. But as a connected attack it was impossible.

The fog was intense it was practically impossible to keep direction and parties got split up. Owing to the heavy shelling all the Bosches had left their main trenches and were lying out in the open with snipers and machine guns in shell holes, so of course our fellows were the most easy prey.

It is so awfully sad now going about and finding so many splendid fellows gone.

Robert's bodu was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on Thiepval Memorial. 

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916. 

On 01st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”

Bob was remembered by his wife and family on the first anniversary of his death with notices in the Liverpool Echo on 30th July 1917, under the heading, “Lost At The Battle Of Guillemont”:

“In loving memory of my dear husband, Private R. Wallace (Bob), Pals, killed in the Somme Battle, July 30, 1916.

Days of sadness still come o’er me,

Hidden tears do often flow;

For memory keeps my dear one near me,

Although he died twelve months ago.

(Never forgotten by his sorrowing Wife and Children, late of Rossett Street.) – 10, Windsor Grove; also all at 97, Queen’s Road.”

 “In dearly-beloved memory of our brother Bob, who fell in action in the Somme battle, July 30, 1916. (Never once forgotten by his sister Amy and brother-in-law in France, also Brother Albert in France, and all at 34, M’Leod Street.) (He died as he lived doing his duty.)” 

He was also remembered on the second anniversary of his death by which time the family had suffered further loss::

"In loving memory of my dear husband, Private R. Wallace ("Pals"), killed in action July 30, 1916.  Never forgotten by his loving Wife and Children. - 10, Windsor Grove".

"Wallace - Dron - In dearly beloved memory of our brother Bob, killed in action July 30, 1916 K.L.R. (Pals); also my dear husband Francis Dron, killed in action December 6, 1917. (Our life-long sorrow.) - Never once forgotten by Amy and all at 34 McLoud Street, Everton." 

(Amy's husband Francis (Frank) Dron served in the Machine Gun Corps, he was killed in action aged 24, and is commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial.