Tyneside Scottish Badge

Derek Johnstone has provided the following:

Robert Spencer was born in at Bedlington, Northumberland in 1894. His parents were Robert Spencer, born in County Durham and Margaret Spencer who was born at Melrose in Scotland.

The 1901 Census shows Robert to be seven years old and living with his family at 18, South Row, Bedlington Station Northumberland. In the house at this time are siblings Thomas 19, Elizabeth 17, Walter 15, George 12, Mary Ann 11, William 9, Alexander 4 and John aged 6. Roberts’s father was employed as hewer in the coal mines.

By 1911, Roberts’s family had moved to 38, South Row, Bedlington Station and Robert, now 16, was working in the coal mines as an endless rope boy and his father was working in the lamp cabin maintaining the miner’s lamps.

Roberts’s military records show he enlisted at Bedlington and his medical took place at Newcastle. He served from the 9th November 1914 until the 28th September 19162 when he was discharged as being not physically fit to serve. Robert was 22 years and 5 month old when discharged and was 5’ 6” tall with blue eyes and fair hair.

Robert suffered a hernia while serving in France and was discharged having contacted TB of the glands in both groins when on active service. Robert spent a period of time in the Norfolk War Hospital at Thorpe near Norwich and was there from the 8th April 1916 to the 28th September 1916. Robert was described as a steady man of good character.

Robert Spencer is remembered in Bedlington on B15.06 and at Bedlington Station on B163.04

There is no CWGC entry for Private Robert Spencer