Pte 57790 Robert Hird

• Age: 28
• From: Castle Eden, Durham
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Tuesday 31st July 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

Robert Hird was born in 1889 in Castle Eden, Durham, the son of Lancelot Hird and his wife Mary (nee Clark) who were married in 1882 in Sunderland.

The 1891 census finds baby Robert living with his parents at Burdon Street, Monkwearmouth.

His father Lancelot is a 32 year old coal miner born in Castle Eden Colliery, and his mother is 30 years old born in Monkwearmouth. Robert has three older siblings – Mary aged 8 born in Ludworth, Thomas 6 and Catherine aged 4 are born in Castle Eden Colliery

By 1901 the family are living at 32 Chitlow Street, Sunderland. 

Father Lancelot is a 43 year old coal hewer, and mother is 40, children living at home are Thomas C. 17 a coal putter, Catherine 15, Robert 12, and there are four more children born since the 1891 census – George C. aged 10 b.Castle Eden , and born Sunderland, Harriet 5, Lancelot 3 and 1 month old Margaret.

Sadly Mary died aged 51 just before the 1911 census.

The widowed Lancelot is 54, is still employed as a coal hewer, and has his married daughter Catherine 24 and her husband living with him as well as George 20, Harriet 15 and Lancelot junior 12. Robert aged 21 is one of three boarders in the household of the widowed Sarah Hedger and her six children. Their address is 34 Headley Street, Sunderland. One of Sarah’s daughters is 18 year old Elizabeth who Robert marries in the winter of 1911. They have a son born in November 1912 called William.

Robert’s brother Thomas who enlisted in the Yorkshire Hussars as Private 18087 was killed in action on 26th September 1915, leaving behind a wife and two small daughters.

Robert enlisted in Sunderland and was formerly 15779, Army Cyclist Corps and was serving in the 18th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 57790 when he was killed in action on the 31st July 1917 aged 28 on the first day of the Third Battle of Ypres, better known as the Battle of Passchendaele.

On this day, before Zero Hour, the 18th Battalion was part of 21st Brigade and was to form up for the attack from trenches from the area of Sanctuary Wood to Observatory Ridge but it was dark and continually falling rain gave very poor visibility. The departure of the 21st Brigade was delayed by heavy shelling.

The 18th King’s began to move forward in the rear of the 2nd Battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment who had been detailed as the left attacking battalion of the 21st Brigade.

No’s 1 and 3 Companies of the King’s led the way followed by No’s 2 and 4. In Sanctuary Wood there was considerable confusion, as a result No.2 and No.4 Companies became separated from the others, and were moved over to the left flank towards positions known as Surbiton Villas and Clapham Junction in the direction of the 90th Brigade.

No.1 and 3 Companies were soon in action with the enemy, and were for a time, held up against an enemy strong point. They pushed forward with their right on a trench known as Jar Row and their left on the tramway south of Stirling Castle. Advance along Jar Row was held up by the Germans who put up a fierce resistance and the party was forced to withdraw.

Another group of men from No.1 and No.3 Companies led by 2nd Lieut. Graham were being held up by another strongpoint which was south of Stirling Castle, which was eventually stormed and taken. Not far away from this action, an attempt, by other men of No.1 and

No.3 companies, was made to penetrate a broad belt of uncut wire, but this was covered by Machine-guns which killed almost every man attempting to pass through the two gaps that were discovered.

The situation was similar with No.2 and 4 Companies, who had attacked along the wrong axis. Their advance was met with fierce opposition, and once all the experienced officer’s had been killed or wounded, all cohesion was lost, although some men did reach and cross the Menin Road at Clapham Junction.

By that time, the situation had become extremely confused, and the whereabouts of all four companies being unknown to Battalion Headquarters, urgent attempts were made to discover their locations. Eventually by mid- afternoon, it was established that the bulk of the companies, although all mixed together, were dug in the vicinity of Stirling Castle and by mid evening, the Battalion Headquarters moved forward to meet them.

During its time in the line the 18th Battalion lost 7 officers and 76 men killed or died of wounds and 7 officers and 177 men were wounded. They were relieved on the 2nd August.

Robert has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, Belgium.

The site of the Menin Gate was chosen because of the hundreds of thousands of men who passed through it on their way to the battlefields. It commemorates casualties from the forces of Australia, Canada, India, South Africa and United Kingdom who died in the Salient. In the case of United Kingdom casualties, only those prior 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions). United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after that date are named on the memorial at Tyne Cot, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war. New Zealand casualties that died prior to 16 August 1917 are commemorated on memorials at Buttes New British Cemetery and Messines Ridge British Cemetery.

The YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick, was unveiled by Lord Plumer on 24 July 1927.

His death was reported in the Sunderland Daily Echo on May 7th 1918.

Killed.

Pte Robert Hird, King's Liverpool Regiment (wife resides at 11 Fullwell Road) previously reported missing since July 31st 1917

His death was also reported in the Sunderland Gazette on May 18th 1918.


Robert’s widow Elizabeth has already contacted the International Red Cross upon the first news that he was missing, but received a reply of no trace in October 1917. She was given the war gratuity of £10 10/- which indicates that Robert probably enlisted around August 1915. She received a pension for herself and her son of 18s 9d a week which was revised in 1920 to £2 1/-.

The father died just before his son aged 59 on the 1st June 1917 at 53 Morgan St, Southwick, Sunderland. He was buried on the 5th June at Southwick Cemetery.

We currently have no further information on Robert Hird, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.