The following information has been compiled by Martin Purdue, great nephew of Robert Henry Purdue.
Robert Henry Purdue was the son of Robert and Rose Purdue (nee Bunting). He was born on 11th August 1897 in Newcastle upon Tyne. His father was a shipyard labourer and they lived at 8 Neath’s Court. His parents later moved to Gateshead. The 1911 Census has their address as Veitch’s Buildings, in Pipewellgate.
He served as 5062 Private Robert Purdue with the 1/6th Northumberland Fusiliers. He was killed in action on 17th November 1916, aged 19. His name appeared as “Perdue” on the memorial at Thiepval but has been corrected.
It is thought that he was part of the action described as follows:
The 149 brigade made an attack on Gird Trench and Hook Sap. The initial attack took place on the 14 November and all four battalions of this brigade were involved. They were in the line until 19th. After some success in appalling weather conditions with the whole area waterlogged, Captain Buckley wrote:
"Mud was everywhere, in parts up to the waist, and what was worse, the thicker, more tenacious kind that just covered the boots and clung in heavy masses. The exertion of forcing our way step by step in an already heavily burdened state during our various moves about this line remains in my mind as some of most strenuous and exhausting times of the whole War." History of Seventh Battalion NF.
During these attacks and desperate defences, the 149th brigade made up of Territorial Regiments from Northumberland lost 10 officers and 297 men killed. The greatest number of casualties was from the 1/5th and 1/7th Battalions, who were involved in the initial attack.
The name of Robert Purdue has not been found on any memorials in Northumberland, Newcastle or County Durham.
