Derek Johnstone and Carole Fife have provided the following:
Robert Fish was born at Hartburn, Northumberland in 1877 and was baptised in that village on 20th May 1877. His parents were Robert, a master shoemaker and Elizabeth Fish (nee Thornton).
In 1881, Robert was 4 years old and living with his family at Hartburn Grange, West Farm with siblings Elizabeth 6, John Thomas 3 and James who was one year old.
By 1891, Robert’s father was a widower and his family was living at Guide Post in Northumberland with additional sibling Margaret aged 8. At this time Robert was 14 years old but there is no record of his occupation or reference to schooling.
The census for 1901 shows Robert, aged 23, employed as a coal miner living at Choppington, Northumberland living in his father’s house. It appears Robert went to Australia after 1901, possibly in 1909 and he enlisted at Holsworthy, New South Wales on 20th September 1915. At this time his records show he was 5 feet 5 inches tall, weighed 8st 12lb and was an engine driver.
Robert was serving with the 13th Battalion Australian Infantry when he was wounded in March and May of 1916. In June 1916 Robert was posted to the 45th Battalion which left Alexandria on 2nd June and arrived in Marseilles six days later. The regiment travelled through France to join the Battle of the Somme.
The Record of Enlistment held at St Cuthbert’s Church Bedlington includes a Robert Fish shown to be in the Australian Royal Engineers who was wounded by gas, living at 1, Telephone Row, Bedlington. It’s not clear if this is the same person.
The CWGC records show Robert was the husband of Elizabeth Fish of 128, Bon-Accord Street, Aberdeen and was a native of Choppington, Northumberland. No marriage details have been located.
Robert Fish is remembered in Bedlington on B15.26 page 49, and in Choppington on C36.01, C36.02 and C36.05
