Photo : Bacon and Son
Level Crossing Cemetery Fampoux
Medal Index Card
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Herbert Robinson Emslie was born at 60 Broughton Road, Westoe, South Shields in January 1890, he was one of 5 children, he was the third born of 4 brothers and had an elder sister. His father William Emslie [born 22nd February 1857], married a lady by the name of Mary Robertson, [born 1858], both were born in Scotland. They moved to the north east between 1886 and 1890 with their 3 children William Alexander born 1883, Alfred George 1884 and Mary Isabella 1886.
In 1891 they were living at 60, Broughton Road, Westoe, South Shields, William was employed as a watch jobber, repairing and maintaining watches, living with them was George Robertson, Mary’s widowed brother an iron turner. By 1896 they had returned to Scotland where their youngest son John was born in Aberdeen, settling at 15, Richmond Terrace.
Herbert left his employment as a clerk in the engineering department of the Post Office Aberdeen and enlisted, initially assigned as a Private. He was later offered a commission rising to the rank of Temporary 2nd Lieutenant, confirmed on the 6th February 1917, from the Territorial Force. He was in the 6th (Renfrewshire) Territorial Battalion, then attached to the 11th Princess Louise’s Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.
He was however in the 11th Battalion attached to the 45th Brigade, 15th (Scottish) Division saw action at Loos, on the Somme during 1916 at Pozieres, Flers-Courcelette, Ancre Heights, Le Transloy, in the Arras sector in 1917 at Scarpe and Arleux before moving to the Ypres salient in Belgium.
2nd Lieutenant Herbert Robinson Emslie was killed in action on the 24th October 1917 and interred at Level Crossing, Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France, grave II. C.13. His father William Emslie of 51, Boonymuir Place, Aberdeen, Scotland commissioned, at a cost of 2s 11d, an additional inscription to be added to his military headstone, it reads, 'Till He Come.'
Herbert died intestate, all monies due to him by the army were assigned to Cox and Co. for distribution to his rightful heirs. Probate was granted to his father, William Emslie, February 13th 1918, value of estate £221 16s 1d.
Recipient of the British War Medal, Victory Medal.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Herbert Robinson Emslie is not remembered on a North East War Memorial.
