Major Robert Peter Villar

• Age: 30
• From: Taunton, Somerset
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Friday 22nd March 1918
• Commemorated at: Pozieres Memorial
  Panel Ref: P21-23

Robert Peter Villar was born in Taunton on 16th June 1887, and lived at Tauntfield House, Taunton, Somerset, and was baptised on the 07th August 1887. He was the eldest son of William James Villar and his wife Annie Elizabeth (nee Lovibond). His parents married on 13th October 1885 at the Parish Church, Staplegrove, Somerset. His father was an auctioneer and estate agent by trade. Robert's siblings were brothers Philip, Gerald, Arthur and sisters Elizabeth and Edith.

Robert  joined the Royal Irish Constabulary and was undergoing his service when he was allowed to leave and was commissioned into the Kings Liverpool Regiment.

Details of his service with the R.I.C. is evidenced as follows:

R.I.C. INTELLIGENCE.

Mr R. P. Villar, on appointment to cadet-ship, has joined the Depot Force, and attached to No. 4 Company.

District Inspector R. P. Villa has taken charge of Dingle, County Kerry, from Fermoy.

Irish Motor Directory 1914 - 1915

COUNTY BOROUGH OF DUBLIN   RI

No. RI 2155

Name and Address of Owner  R. P. Villar, D.I., R.I.C., Killorglin, Kerry

Car or Bicycle  C

 

 

He was not released for army service until April 1916. He was hospitalised at No.3 CCS in January 1917 with influenza. By late 1917 he was the Company Commander of ‘B’ Company of the 20th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment, and on 27th November 1917 he was appointed temporary Second in Command of the 18th Battalion, during leave of absence of Major PD Holt. When the 20th Battalion was disbanded In February 1918, Captain Villar was transferred to the 18th Battalion The King’s Liverpool Regiment, being taken on strength, on 7th February. Just under one month later, on 4th March, he assumed temporary command of the 18th Battalion, whilst its Commander, Major G S Clayton, went on a months UK leave. 

Now serving as Acting Major, he was in command of the company during the opening days of the German Spring offensive.

In the early hours of 21st March, the main assault of the German Spring Offensive was launched with great ferocity along the defensive front, and at 04.50 am, the order was given to man the battle stations as the enemy began to penetrate the line. On receiving a report that the village of Roupy, just ahead, had been taken, the Battalion moved forward to Steen Wood near Vaux.

On the following morning the 22nd March, the Battalion was called upon by the GOC of the 90th Brigade, to carry ammunition to Stevens Redoubt. Fifty men under the command of J A Fisher were dispatched for this task and when they arrived, they were retained by the Officer Commanding the 2nd Battalion The Bedfordshire Regiment, who held the Redoubt, to help its defence.

Shortly after this, at about 10.00am, the GOC of the 90th Infantry Brigade reported that the Germans had broken through on the left of the northern forward defences, and called for two Companies of the 18th Battalion to make a counter attack under the command of the O/C of the Bedford. Captain Villar left immediately for Stevens Redoubt to confer with this officer, leaving the Adjutant Captain F Lawless in temporary command.

At about 10.30am No’s 2 and 3 Companies moved forward to the Redoubt, but found the situation there so serious, that they abandoned the idea of a counter attack and remained there helping the defence of the Garrison. By late afternoon the situation had become critical and the Battalion was ordered to withdraw to Ham. The flanks of the Garrison at Stevens Redoubt had given way by this time and the Commander there also decided to pull back ; although not everyone appears to have escaped the Redoubt.

The Battalion arrived at Ham at about 19.30pm, and as nothing had been heard at all from Villar, Captain Lawless assumed command. Nothing further is known of his fate, but as he is listed as having been killed on 22nd March, perhaps somebody reported seeing his death, or finding his body. He was aged thirty one.

His body was not found and identified after the war and he is commemorated on the Memorial to the Missing of the 5th Army at Pozieres, Somme, France.

The POZIERES MEMORIAL relates to the period of crisis in March and April 1918 when the Allied Fifth Army was driven back by overwhelming numbers across the former Somme battlefields, and the months that followed before the Advance to Victory, which began on 8 August 1918. The Memorial commemorates over 14,000 casualties of the United Kingdom and 300 of the South African Forces who have no known grave and who died on the Somme from 21 March to 7 August 1918.

The cemetery and memorial were designed by W.H. Cowlishaw, with sculpture by Laurence A. Turner. The memorial was unveiled by Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien on 4 August 1930.

His death was reported in the press:

Major Robert Peter Villar, King's Liverpool Regiment, previously reported missing, now reported killed on March 22, aged 30, was the eldest son of Mr and Mrs William J. Villar of Tauntfield House, Taunton.  He was educated at King's College Taunton, Bloxham and Pembroke College, Cambridge. He became a member of the Inner Temple, and made for the Bar, but desiring a more active life he joined the R.I.C. He was not released to join the Army until April 1916 when he was given the rank of Captain. Two months ago he was placed second command of his Battalion with the rank of Acting Major, and at the time of his death was in charge of the Battalion.

VILLAR - Killed in action in France on March 22nd, was leading his Battalion. Captain (A/Major) Robert Peter Villar of the King's Liverpool Regiment, eldest son of Mr and Mrs W.J. Villar of Tauntfield House, Taunton, age 30.

Probate was granted as follows:

VILLAR Robert of Tauntfield House Taunton a major in the Liverpool regiment died 22 March 1918 killed in action in France. Administration Taunton 16 September 1918 to William James Villar auctioneer. Effects £855 11s 3d.

Two of his brothers served in the Army during the war, both survived:

Robert is commemorated on the following Memorials;

Vivery Park in Taunton

Bloxham School Memorial

Holy Trinity Memorial Chapel

A report on the dedication of the Chapel at Holy Trinity is reproduced below:

HOLY TRINITY, TAUNTON

WAR MEMORIAL CHAPEL 

The dedication of a war memorial chapel at Holy Trinity Church, Taunton took place on Friday evening in the presence of a large congregation. The Rev. Prebendary M.V. McLean, formerly of Holy Trinity and director of Dinder, near Wells, returned to his old Parish to perform the dedication ceremony. The chapel, which is situated in the north aisle, is a handsome structure in carved oak, and contains the altar given by Mr and Mrs W.J. Miller and family, in memory of their son, Major Robert Peter Villar, Kings Liverpool Regiment, who was killed in action on March 22nd 1918.

His father died on 06th Sept 1926, probate London 25th October 1926 to Arthur William Villar estate agent. Effects £71,228 7s 9d.