Pte 57566 James Robertson

• Age: Unknown.
• From: Invergelder
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• D.O.W Monday 9th April 1917
• Commemorated at: Wancourt Brit Cem
  Panel Ref: VI.E.5

James Robertson was born at Invergelder on the Balmoral estate in 1890 in the small Perthshire hamlet of Kirkmichael. James's father was the Electrician at the castle.  Queen Victoria had installed electricity in about 1898 and we think James was the first electrician.  How he qualified as an electrician we dont know as the poor folk just had Tilley lamps etc.

The 1901 census had the family living at Invergelder.

The local school Crathie Primary still has the original entry for 1901 when he started school. 

He was the husband of Isabella Robertson. On his marriage certificate he is listed as being at South Ripon Camp. He was part of the H. D. (Highland Division) Cyclist Corps.

Prior to joining the Army he lived in Dundee.

He enlisted in Blairgowrie, Perth, joining the Highland Divisional Cyclist Company as Private 849.

He was subsequently transferred to the 18th Battalion of The Kings Liverpool Regiment as Private 57566. He was killed in action on 09/04/1917 during the opening phase of the Battle of Arras.

Arras 09^th April 1917

Details of the circumstances the18^th Battalion had to contend with are illustrated below:

The battalion formed the left assaulting battalion of the brigade, the 2^nd Wiltshire Regiment being on the right, the 19^th Manchester Regiment being in support and 2^nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment furnishing “moppers -up”  for the two assaulting battalions. The brigade advance was timed to begin at ---- hour after “Zero”, suited to conform with the movements of 56^th Division and other divisions on our left further north (near Arras). This battalion’s objective was the front-line system Lion Lane on the left (exclusive) to Panther Lane on right (exclusive). This sector included the strongpoint known as “The Egg”.

The brigade advanced at prearranged time, i.e., 11.38 a.m, from position of assembly trenches south of Neuville Vitasse to German front line. This necessitated an advance across the open of at least 2,000 yards. This area up to Neuville Vitasse- Henin road was crossed in artillery formation; after this, owing to machine-gun fire and considerable resistance from German posts forward in the sunken roads, it was found necessary to deploy. During the whole movement across the open the advancing columns had been under considerable artillery fire from guns of all calibres. On gaining the position immediately in front of German line it was found that the wire was practically uncut; this wire formed two strong belts in front of German trenches. Two small gaps were eventually discovered and Second-Lieut H.F.Merry gallantly led a bombing party through them, but his three remaining men were killed as they reached the German trenches.

From the moment the battalion was “held up” in front of German wire Capt. R. W. Jones, the senior company commander on the spot, at once began the work of consolidating in front of German wire. The battalion held on in this position for the remainder of the day, until relieved by the 16^th Manchester Regiment about 3 a.m. on the 10^th of April, all the time under intense machine-gun and rifle fire.

Between 9th-10th April, 1917, the 18th King's lost 2 officers 2nd Lt. F. Ashcroft and 2nd Lt. H.G. Ewing and 59 other ranks killed. 8 other officers were wounded.     

James was one of the other ranks referred to as killed in action, he now rests at Wancourt British Cemetery.

Wancourt was captured on 12 April 1917 after very heavy fighting and the advance was continued on the following days. The cemetery, called at first Cojeul Valley Cemetery, or River Road Cemetery, was opened about ten days later; it was used until October 1918, but was in German hands from March 1918 until 26 August, when the Canadian Corps recaptured Wancourt. At the Armistice, the cemetery contained 410 graves, but was very greatly increased in the following years when graves were brought in from other  small cemeteries and isolated positions on the battlefields south-east of Arras including HENIN-SUR-COJEUL, about 800 metres North of the village, contained the graves of 29 British soldiers who fell on 9 April 1917, almost all of whom belonged to the 2nd Wilts or the 18th King's Liverpools. The cemetery now contains 1,936 burials and commemorations of the First World War. 829 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 76 casualties known or believed to be buried among them, and to 20 who were buried in Signal Trench Cemetery whose graves were destroyed in later battles. The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

Newspaper reports at the time of his death included the Aberdeen Daily Journal,

24th May 1917: Missing, believed killed - Robertson 57566 J (Ballater) 

July 2 1917: Now reported killed.

James is commemorated on the Memorial at the Balmoral Estate, outside the castle gates as he was one of the gamekeepers prior to joining up.

David Robertson, a relative of James contacted this website and advised that on the centenary of the Battle of Arras, myself and 4 great grandchildren, laid a wreath at the memorial and were granted permission to enter and journey through the grounds to Invergelder where he was born. Getting access to the Royal estate is like jumping through hoops. I did not tell the 4 grandchildren of our intention to visit his place of birth. We drove to the main entrance and were stopped by security who said "The Robertson Party" and the front gate just magically swung open and we drove up the drive!!!  We had a wee lump in our throats!!  

The Balmoral Estate Workers memorial was officially opened by the King and the story goes he knew them all personally. The swastikas on the memorial have an explanatory stone next to it as visitors often were horrified to see the swastikas!!

Crathie Primary usually  do a project on a local "sudger" and they also have a wreath laid on Armistices Day. 

Grateful thanks are extended to David Robertson for his updates which have greatly added to James' biography.

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