Brenda McMahon has submitted the following:-
Robert Fisher was born at Gateshead in 1899 to parents, John William and Jane Ann nee Douglas. His parents had 8 children but unfortunately 2 died. His siblings included Esther, who died in 1906 aged 5 years, John William, Elizabeth Ann, and Ralph.
In 1901 the family were living at 3 The Cottages, Lamesley. His father was a coal hewer.
The family had increased by 1911 with the addition of two more sons Joseph Christopher and Albert and had moved to 55 Florence Avenue. Like their father his sons also worked in the pit, John William as a stone putter and young Ralph aged 14 at the pit head. Robert was still at school.
Robert enlisted into the army at Gateshead and joined the Lancashire Fusiliers. He was killed in action on Sunday 1 September 1918.
The war diary for his battalion at the time of his death shows the soldiers engaged in heavy fighting around Le Transloy area which is approximately 18 miles south of Arras.
At 4.20 on 1 September 1918 the battalion tried to take a cemetery but due to intense darkness and high explosives they got lost. They were heavily shelled with Blue Cross gas. An officer at the time reports the men sneezing violently so much so that they wanted to remove their protective wear. Whilst this particular gas did not necessarily cause fatalities the effects of gas were so debilitating it remained one of the wars most feared weapons. Robert’s cause of death is not stated he certainly was involved in engagement.
Medals :- British War Medal and Victory Medal
Robert Fisher is remembered at Gateshead on G39.004 and at Gateshead Fell on G39.064
