Capt Arthur de Bells Adam (MC)
1885 - 1916

CPL David Wallace Crawford
1887 - 1916

Lce-Corpl John Joseph Nickle
1894 - 1916

Pte 17911 Morton Neill
1897 - 1916

Lieut Edward Stanley Ashcroft
1883 - 1918

Pte 57549 Robert Lennon

Age: 28
From: Cupar, Fife
Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
K.I.A Thursday 2nd May 1918
Commemorated at: Klein-vierstraat Brit Cem
Panel Ref: V.C.8

Robert Lennon was born in 1890 in Cupar, Fife, and resided in Forfar and was the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Lennon, of 34 Canmore St, Forfar. He was a native of Kirriemuir, Forfarshire.

He enlisted in Dundee and was formerly 15432, Highland Divisional Cyclist Company and was serving in the 18^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 57549 when he was killed in action on the 02nd May 1918 aged 28 during the German Spring Offensive.

In late April 1918 the 18th Bn was in the line at Elzenwalle during the German assault on the Scherpenberg. The Battalion War Diary for 2nd May records,

“Command of the sector was eventually handed over to the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry at 3 a.m. May 1st/2nd and the Battn proceeded via Vijverhoek, St. Hubertshoer, and Ouderdom to huts at Scottish Camp, in G.23.b, where billets for the Battalion and positions for 6” Howitzers had been arranged. The Battalion arrived, by Companies, between 3 and 5 a.m. and the Howitzer batteries opened fire as the men were going to sleep. The enemy counter-battery fire was very prompt and rigorous and several huts were at once blown up, causing a number of casualties. The Battalion at once moved to an empty camp, away from gun positions, in G.11.c.”

Robert was apparently one of those killed at Scottish Camp.

Casualties for the action at Elzenwalle, April 27th - May 02nd 1918:

Officers: 1 Killed

O.R.: 22 Killed, 71 Wounded

Robert was buried together with Pte. John Schlank, 235256, 18th K.L.R., with a cross marking their grave, at map reference G.23.a.5.7. In October 1919 their bodies were removed and reinterred in Klein Vierstraat British Cemetery, Belgium where he now rests.

The village of Kemmel and the adjoining hill, Mont Kemmel, were the scene of fierce fighting in the latter half of April 1918, in which both Commonwealth and French forces were engaged.

The cemetery was begun in January 1917 and Plots I to III were made by field ambulances and fighting units before the middle of January 1918. Plot IV was begun in April 1918. After the Armistice, graves were brought into Plot I, Row H, and Plots IV to VII, from two smaller cemeteries (FERME HENRI PATTYN-VANLAERES, Poperinghe and MONT-VIDAIGNE MILITARY CEMETERY, Westoutre) and from the battlefields of Dikkebus, Loker and Kemmel.

Klein-Vierstraat British Cemetery now contains 805 First World War burials, 109 of them unidentified.

The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

A notice was placed in the Dundee People’s Journal on 25th May 1918 by a sweetheart:

“Killed in action on 2d May, 1918, Pte. R. Lennon, King’s Liverpool Reg’t. (late of Highland Cyclists), eldest son of John Lennon, 61 Dundee Loan, Forfar.

It may be a soldier’s honour

To die at his country’s call,

But it is hard to remember the glory

When we women have lost our all.

Inserted by his friend, L.D.”

Robert is also commemorated on the War Memorial in Kirriemuir Cemetery, Strathmore Avenue, Kirriemuir, Angus, Tayside, DD8 4DH

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

Killed On This Day.

(109 Years this day)
Wednesday 2nd May 1917.
L/Cpl 57568 William Robertson
20 years old

(109 Years this day)
Wednesday 2nd May 1917.
Pte 24841 Joseph Hunter
32 years old

(108 Years this day)
Thursday 2nd May 1918.
Pte 53165 John Thomas Corke
23 years old

(108 Years this day)
Thursday 2nd May 1918.
Pte 57549 Robert Lennon
28 years old

(108 Years this day)
Thursday 2nd May 1918.
Pte 23145 Ernest Poole
30 years old

(108 Years this day)
Thursday 2nd May 1918.
Pte 235256 John Schlank
36 years old