Hamsteels St John
In Hamsteels St. John Churchyard is a family headstone which reads:-
In Loving memory of
Allen
the beloved husband of Mary Hirst
who died on Feb. 25th 1917
aged 61 years
Also
Fred Hirst
Aged 22 years
Son of the above
who died of wounds received in action in France
on 1st Oct. 1916
Beloved wife weep not for me
From toil and care I now am free
Though death has called me from thy side
God will protect and be thy guide
Weep not for me my children dear
I am not dead but resting here
My end you know, my grave you see
Therefore prepare to follow me.
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Robert Hirst, one of 9 children, all of whom survived, was the 4th born of 6 sons and had 1 elder and 2 younger sisters. His father Allen Hirst born at Boston and mother Mary Aspinell of Kilpin Hill, both in the county of Yorkshire, were born 1855 and 1858 respectively. They were married November 6th 1875 at St. Peter Birstall, settling initially at Northorpe, Yorkshire, where their son William was born in 1878, Harriet 1880 and Hiram 1882. Between 1882 and 1886 they migrated to the north east, Joseph 1886 and Robert 1889 were born at Oakenshaw, County Durham, however, 2 years later they were living at 24, High King Street, Escomb, near Bishop Auckland. Allen Hirst was employed as a coal miner, William (13) also worked at the colliery at the bank. The remainder of their children, Sarah 1892, Fred 1894 and Allan 1898 were born in County Durham with the exception of Mary 1901 who was born while they were living at 28, Stanley Street, Newburn Hall, Northumberland. Allen and William working as hewers had now been joined by Hiram (19) and Joseph (15), Robert and his younger siblings were scholars. Having returned to County Durham in 1911 Allen, his wife, Fred, Allen Jnr and Mary were living at 3, Church Street, Quebec, their elder children, including Robert had left home.
Robert Hirst was married in the district of Lanchester in 1909 to Elizabeth Laidler born April 23rd 1891 at Quebec, County Durham, their daughter Margaret Hannah was born in 1912.
On the outbreak of war Robert enlisted at Durham November 5th 1914. Initially assigned to the 22nd (3rd Tyneside Scottish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers as Private 1039, he was later transferred to the 1st Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment. In the absence of a military record it is impossible to know when this occurred, however, both regiments fought in many of the same major offensives on the Western Front.
Private Hirst departed to France as of January 1916 and would have participated during the Battles of the Somme. Whilst on the Somme he would have received news of his brother’s death. Private Fred Hirst died of wounds October 1st 1916. His father Allen Hirst died February 25th 1917, while Private Hirst’s battalion was participating during the attacks on the Hindenburg Line, Arras Offensive and 3rd Battle of Ypres throughout 1917. The final part of his service was definitely with the East Yorkshire Regiment which in 1918 returned to the Somme when the Germans again attacked the front line in March. The battalion saw action during the Battle of the Lys, Aisne, Hindenburg Line and the Final Advance to Victory until the Armistice, November 11th 1918 when they were near Berlaimont.
Having risen through the ranks the now Corporal 50770 Robert Hirst East Yorkshire Regiment was killed in action August 26th 1918 and buried on the battlefield by his comrades along with 7 other members of his battalion and 1 unknown British soldier, map reference 57c. M. 24. a. 8. 6., their graves marked with a cross bearing their military details. After the Armistice, during the clearing of the battlefields, their bodies were exhumed and brought into Caterpillar Valley Cemetery, Longueval, Somme, France, for reburial with all reverence and honour by an Army chaplain. Corporal 50770 Robert Hirst is at rest, grave VII. D. 12. At the time of his demise in 1918 he was 32 years of age.
His widow Elizabeth of 90, Liddle Street, Cornsay Colliery, County Durham, received all monies due to him, his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal and a pension for herself and their daughter until she remarried in 1919, district of Lanchester, to Johnson E. Spencer with whom she had a further 5 children, Joseph, May 30th 1920-1984, Jane Chesterton nee Spencer, March 6th 1923-2005, William, 1925, Edith Jubb nee Spencer, October 14th 1927-1983, Adam, 1931.
Elizabeth Spencer-Hirst nee Laidler died aged 80 years in 1971 registered at Durham Central.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Robert Hirst is remembered at Cornsay on C116.01 and at Quebec on Q2.06
