William Kirby has submitted the following:-
Robert, born in 1895 at Pelton Fell was the son of James and Mary Ann Strachan. He had two brothers, Thomas Naylor and Henry James and three sisters, Sarah Ann, Cathrine and Elizabeth Jane.
In 1911, aged 16 he was an underground driver at the local mine.
Robert (3508) joined the local 8th Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry at Chester-le-Street with his brother Henry (3509). He went to France 20th April 1915.
He died of wounds at the Royal Herbert Hospital at Woolwich 9th January 1916 aged 20 years. He was buried at Pelton Cemetery in the same grave as William Strachan who died in 1902 aged 15. His mother Mary Ann had died at the family home 20 Lonsdale Street, Newfield, Pelton Fell on the 29th of July 1917 and is buried at Pelton Cemetery. His father later moved to Allansford, near Castleside.
Recipient of the 1915 Star, the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
His brother Henry James died in Germany in 1918.
Robert Strachan is remembered at Pelton Fell on P27.01 and as Straughan, R. at Pelton on P26.01
He is also remembered in The DLI Book of Remembrance page 4 and in Battalion History page 262
