Level Crossing Cemetery Fampoux
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Robert McLaughlin was born 1892 at Berwick-on-Tweed, Northumberland, one of 8 children of whom only 7 survived he was the youngest son of Edward McLaughlin born 1856 at Gordon, Roxburghshire, Scotland and his wife Maria native of Belmullet, County Mayo, Ireland born 1862.
Edward McLaughlin, his wife Maria, owned and ran for their own account a lodging house at Church Street, Wooler. By 1911 they were assisted by their daughter Nellie (16), however son Edward (23) was employed as a grocer’s assistant, John (20) a labourer and Robert (18) was a hairdresser.
On the outbreak of was Robert McLaughlin enlisted at Newcastle-upon-Tyne and was assigned as Private 602 Northumberland Fusiliers and transferred to the 28th Battalion formed at Cramlington in July 1915 as a reserve battalion from depot companies of the 18th and 19th Battalions.
Unfortunately, his military record and medal card no longer exist, one of the 70% of documents destroyed during WW2 it is therefore impossible to know his exact movements. He was transferred during his service to the Prince of Wales’s Own West Yorkshire Regiment, 21st Battalion, as Private 43440, the 21st Battalion served on the Western Front as of June 1916, attached to the 11th Brigade under the orders of the 4th Division as a Pioneer Battalion.
During the Battles of the Somme in 1916 they participated at the opening Battle of Albert July 1st-13th but did not take part in any other major battle until October 1st-18th at Le Transloy after which they were moved to the Arras sector in spring 1917. They saw action during the Arras Offensive April 9th-May 15th 1916 and remained in the sector until moving to the Ypres salient later that year.
Having risen through the ranks the now Corporal 43440 Robert McLaughlin was killed in action July 23rd 1917 in the Arras sector and interred at Level Crossing Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France, grave I. E. 45. He was 25 years old and single.
Having nominated his mother Maria as his sole legitimate beneficiary she received all monies due to him from the Army, a pension and his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to her at her home address of Shining Pool, Wooler, Northumberland. His father commissioned at a cost of 10 pence an additional inscription to be added to his military headstone, it reads, “R. I. P.”
Edward McLaughlin died in 1933 aged 77 years, Maria McLaughlin aged 80 years in 1942, both registered at Glendale near Wooler, Northumberland.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Robert McLaughlin is remembered at Wooler on W68.01 and W68.03
