2nd Lieut Robert Coulson Meikle
1st Battalion 2nd Lieut R.C. Meikle
Lieut. J.L. Oliver from South Shields
Robert was one of twins born to Archie Miller Meikle and Emily Meikle, of Monkseaton, Northumberland. Chartered Accountant. Archie was a well known figure in the North Shields Fishing Industry and a director of R. Irvin and Sons, trawler owners and fish salesman. Robert’s twin was John.
The brothers were the first Non-Regular officers to join the 1st DLI Battalion since the outbreak of the War.
He was killed in the battle of Capuzzo after being severely wounded. As part of Operation 'Brevity' in the North African campaign. He was in 'A' Company, when the position they were holding was overrun by the German tanks and infantry. A fellow officer, Lieutenant J. L. Oliver, from South Shields, was in the same DLI Battalion and was captured at the same time, had left a brief report from his prison camp to the Evening Chronicle June 18th 1942.
Robert Coulson Meikle is remembered at Fenham on F31.22, at Monkseaton on M15.02, at North Shields on N34.36, at Tynemouth on T36.09 and at Whitley Bay on W84.01.
Robert had two uncles who are also remembered on War Memorials, Lieutenant John Meikle, Canadian Dragoons, Serial Number 887. Killed in 1918. And Lieutenant Robert Jardine Meikle, serial number 996 had enlisted in the Northern Cyclist Battalion, but was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the 2nd Battalion Durham Light Infantry. He served in France from the 11th February 1916 and was killed in action 15th September 1916, near the town of Ginchy in the Battle of the Somme.
Newcastle Journal - Friday 15/08/1941:
'D.L.I. TWINS KILLED AT SOLLUM
Twins, Second-Lieut. John Cunningham Meikle and Second-Lieut. Robert Coulson Meikle, sons of Mr, and Mrs A. M. Meikle, of Monkseaton, formerly of Tynemouth, were killed in action on the same day during an attack on their escarpment at Sollum.
Twenty-four years of age, they were born at Tynemouth, and went North with their parents when three years old to live at Aberdeen.
They were educated at Aberdeen Grammar School and then both served articles as chartered accountants with firms in North Shields.
They sat their final examination when 21 and John gained honours. Both became employed with prominent firms in London.
In 1938 they joined the Territorial Army, and on the outbreak of war were granted commissions and gazette[d] {sic} to the Durham Light Infantry.
They were sent to the Middle East in January and went through the Egyptian and Libyan campaigns together.They were well known in Tynemouth, their father being one of the leading figures in the North Shields fishing industry and a director of R. Irvin and Sons trawler owners and fish salesmen.'
They are remembered on N34.36, N34.68, T36.09, W84.01, W84.14 and W84.31.
John Meikle is also in W84.30.
The Uncles had a brother called William Ewart (Billy) who had read out the address at the Unveiling of the War Memorial. W84.31, he had survived the War in the 1/9th Battalion Durham Light Infantry.
Additional research: James Pasby
Source: Evening Chronicle 18/06/1942.
