230693 Pte. Robert Davies British Army 1st Btn. Loyal North Lancashire Regiment from:Hughes Street, Garston, Liverpool I don't know a lot about my great grandad Robert Davies's experience of war - he never spoke about it. He joined the army originally in 1896 and attested for the militia on 14th April 1896. He enlisted at Warrington Barracks and was assigned Service No. 4662 and posted to the South Lancashire Regiment. Then he signed up for the regular army and was posted to the 2nd Btn. Loyal North Lancashire Regiment with Service No. 5643.
He spent the first two years on home duty in England, then in 1899 at the British Garrison in Malta. He attended an instruction course and was assigned to the 17th mounted infantry section. He was stationed around Malta, Gibraltar and Crete. In 1904 he went to South Africa. He was now married with children and living at 19 Hughes Street, Liverpool and working as a dock labourer.
He re-enlisted in 1914 at Seaforth Barracks and was given Service No. 3689 and posted to the 3rd Btn. Loyal North Lancashire Regiment (his old regiment). He was reposted to the 1st Btn. and embarked for Le Havre and went to Flanders. He then went to Ypres and Givenchy. He was reported missing in December 1914. But it was not until 1915 that his family learned that he was a prisoner of war at Wittenberg. He was transferred to Zerbst in July 1917, but I don't think it was much before 1920 that he saw home again.
He suffered from very bad shell shock and had really bad shakes. He came back very thin and the family said he wasn't the same man. He never spoke about his experiences. He never claimed his medals. I think it must have been very traumatic for him.
|