260544 Pte. Robert Smith British Army Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders from:Glasgow (d.17th June 1940) Robert Smith was my grandfather. He died when HMT Lancastria was sunk on 17th of June 1940.
Robert enlisted at Paisley in 1925 aged 18 years. His civilian employment prior to enlisting was listed as labourer.
In 1927 his battalion moved to Jamaica until September 1929 when the men moved to Northern China. They embarked from China on the troopship HT Neurala February 1933 for the UK for his transfer to the Army Reserve; a reserve of trained and disciplined military personnel for use in an emergency.
Robert married Agnes in 1934. Robert's job at the time is recorded as Tramway Car Conductor.
In 1939 Robert rejoined the Argylls and was attached to the Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps before being sent to France.
HMT Lancastria was a Clyde built Cunard cruiser that became a troopship, involved in Convoy Alabaster and Operation Arial, the evacuation of troops from Europe. Bombed off the coast of St. Nazaire, France and sunk in approx 20 minutes. Approx 2500 people rescued. Loss of life estimates range from a conservative 2,500 to 6,000.
Robert Smith's body was never recovered and his name is on the memorial at Dunkirk North. Robert died aged 34 years leaving 4 children aged under 5 years. There are now four generations of Robert's descendants in Scotland and Australia.
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