2nd Battalion, Scots Guards, 15 September 1916
Synopsis of Life and Military Service
Robert Darling was born on 20 August 1892 at Bridgend, Bathgate to David Darling and Martha Harper or Darling. He had four older brothers, two younger brothers, one older sister and a twin, Sarah. His father’s occupation listed on Robert’s birth certificate was a coal miner.
By the time of the 1901 census the family had moved to 56 Stonerigg Cottages, Armadale and Robert’s father was listed as being a foreman labourer in charge of waterworks.
Before the outbreak of WW1, Robert was listed as a postman and also an apprentice draper at the Co-operative Society in Armadale. He was a reservist before the outbreak of the war and was also a Scout Movement leader, having been a member since its inception by Baden-Powell in 1907.
Following the declaration of the war and his call to arms, Robert enlisted at Edinburgh and was to initially serve in the 1st Battalion, Scots Guards, as Private, number 7737 and disembarked for France on 13 August 1914. His brother Thomas was also allocated this battalion.
At some point, he was transferred to the 2nd Battalion of the same regiment and during his service he was injured twice. The first time was when he was knocked out and received a slight injury from which he recovered quickly.
The second, in November 1914, when both of Robert’s feet were badly shot in Ypres and he was sent back to hospital at Shorncliffe Camp in Folkstone, Kent to recover.
Following his recovery from the gun shot wounds, Robert returned to his unit, where on on 15 September 1916, the 2nd Scots Guards were involved in an attack on the german positions at Lesbœufs, Somme, France. As his unit attacked, a german unit to their right attempted to cut his Company off. The Scots Guards turned to attack and during this action, some of the Company, including Robert who was one of the first to fall were cut down from German machine-gun fire.
Sadly, his body was either never found or remained unidentified and as a result, following the end of the war he was honoured and remembered on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.
His twin sister was the sole beneficiary of his pension. After her death in 1918 his pension passed to his mother, Martha.
Following his death, his father David was shown in the Probate Calendar on 4 June 1917 in Linlithgow as being the sole Legate to his belongings which amounted to £118.
War Diary – 2nd Scots Guards
13 September 1916
Battalion in camp at Happy Valley.
14 September 1916
Dispositions of 1st and 2nd Guards Brigade were given out at 2pm. 3rd Guards Brigade in reserve. The Battalion left camp at 5pm and marched to CARNOY and bivouaced there for 4 hours and proceeded to TRONES WOOD at 10pm. The following officers went into action: Lieut. Col. R S Tempest, Captain and Adjutant W H Wynne-Finch. “R.F. Coy.” Capt. J S Thorpe, 2/Lieut. A F Chapman, Lieut. “F” Coy. Capt. R B Fuller-Maitland, 2/Lieut. D H J Chapman, 2/Lieut. G S Dawkins, “G” Coy. 2/Lieut. E Knollys, 2/Lieut. Hon. A N A Vannesk, 2/Lieut. E A Wodehouse, “L F” Coy. Lieut. N A Boyd, 2/Lieut. L F C Murdoch, Medical Officers Capt. G Walker, RAMC. Propping Platoon (Attached Brigade Headqrs) 2/Lieunt. A R W Menzies. The following officers remained at the main transport: Major Hon. R Coke, Lieunt. E T M McDougall, Lieunt. D J Bethell, Lieunt. Hon. V A Cochrane-Baillie, 2/LieuntP Wallace. Capt. J A Stirling was liaison officer between 3rd Guards Brigade and 43rd Brigade 14th Div.
15 September 1916
The Division attacked LES BOEUFS – zero – 6.20am. Owing to attack being held up to about 6pm the Battalion was ordered up to support Colonel I Campbell, 3rd Battalion Coldstream Guards. Lieunt. Col. R S Tempest led the Battalion between GINCHY and DELVILLE WOOD in a N.E. direction. The Commanding Officer and Adjutant were hit almost immediately and Capt. J S Thorpe and Lieunt. D A J Chapman was killed during a counter-attack on our R. Flank Company. Capt. R E F Maitland and 2/Lieunts. Dawkins, Murdoch and Wodehouse were wounded. 2/Lieunts. Dawkins and Murdoch died of their wounds 4 days later. Lieunt. W A Boyd was then left in command of the Battalion.
Major Hon. R Coke came up to take command, Lieunt. McDougall to do Adjutant and Lieunt. D J Bethell to command “RF Coy”. Major Hon. R Coke was wounded on the way up.
16 September 1916
The day was fairly quiet and the Battalion remained attached to the 1st Guards Brigade. 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards and 1st Battalion Welsh Guards were ordered to attack LES BOEUFS but the attack was held up and the position w of GERD TRENCH was consolidated. The Battalion was relieved that night and 59th Brigade relieved the 2nd Guards Brigade. The Battalion bivouaced at CARNOY.
West Lothian Courier
Extract from the above publication dated 29 September 1916 :-
ARMADALE SOLDIER KILLED
This week Mr and Mrs D Darling, The Filters, Armadale, received the sad intelligence that their son, Signaller Robert Darling, Scots Guards, had been killed in action on 15th September. The sad news was conveyed in a letter from his chum, Pte. John Muirhead, Station Road, Armadale. Pte Muirhead in his note stated the Scots Guards were making an advance when a German force, on their right, attempted to cut a Company off from the main body. The Guards turned to attack the German force on their right. A machine gun was turned on the Scottish soldiers, and Signaller Darling was among the first to fall. Only two days before his death, says Pte Muirhead, Signaller Darling had been recommended by his officer for conspicuous bravery.
Pte. Muirhead said that the death of Signaller Darling had come as a great shock to his comrades and officers, with whom he was held in high esteem.
Family
Robert Darling was born on 20 August 1892 at Bridgend, Bathgate. The following family information is taken from the 1901 and 1911 Census, Register of Soldiers Effects and family headstone.
His family is shown as follows :-
- Father: David Darling, born 1885 at Bathgate, Linlithgowshire – Foreman / Labourer. (Died – 27/7/1926).
- Mother: Martha Harper or Darling, born 1854 at Ireland. (Died 16/1/1940).
- Brother: David, born 1880 at Bathgate – Steel Moulder.
- Sister: Nellie (Helen), born 1882 at Bathgate – Saleswoman In Stationer’s Shop. (Died 1953)
- Brother: Thomas, born 1884 at Bathgate – Steel Moulder. (Died 1951)
- Brother: John at Bathgate – Mason. (Died 1971)
- Brother: William, born 1889. (Died 1971)
- Sister: Sarah, born 20 August 1892 at Bathgate. (Died 27/11/1918)
- Brother: George H., born 1895 at Bathgate. (Died 17/6/1923)
- Brother: James, born 1900 at Bathgate. (Died 1972)
Addresses
The following addresses have been ascertained for Robert Darling :-
- 1892: Bridgend, Bathgate.
- 1901: 56 Stonerigg Cottages, Armadale.
Medals
Robert Darling was awarded the 1914 Star and Clasp, the Victory and the British War Medals for his service in the Great War.
Memorials
Robert Darling is honoured and remembered on the following memorials :-
- Darling family grave, Bathgate Cemetery, West Lothian.
- Armadale War Memorial, Ochilview Square, Armadale, West Lothian.
- Armadale Public School Roll of Honour.
- The Scottish National War Memorial, Edinburgh Castle.
Remarks
According to a report in the Linlithgowshire Gazette headed “Armadale Man’s Narrow Squeak”, dated 20 November 1914, Robert’s brother, Thomas, who was also serving with the Scots Guards, 1st Battalion, had a narrow escape while serving in Ypres, Belgium. He was engaged in driving ammunition to the trenches and on one trip the week before the report, a shell dropped at his right hand side and killed his offside horse.
Thomas survived the War and died in 1951, aged 67.
Links to Additional Information
- Commonwealth War Graves Commission: Robert Darling.
- Find a Grave website: Robert Darling.
- A Street Near You website: Robert Darling.
- Lives of the First World War: Robert Darling.
References
- 1901 Census.
- National War Memorial Index (Ancestry)
- Pension Cards
- Medal Index Card (Ancestry)
- Medal Roll (Scots Guards)
- Scotland National Probate Index
- West Lothian Courier
- Linlithgowshire Gazette
- War Diaries (National Archives)
- Register of Soldiers Effects (Ancestry)
- Soldiers Died in the Great War (Ancestry).
Groups
Contributors:-
- Audrey Mavor.
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