ROBERT PETER BACKHOUSE

Born: 1891, St. Clement’s, Ipswich.

Died: 22nd September 1917; age: 26; Died of Wounds at 53 Casualty Clearing Station, Bailleul. Served 6 years & 78 days.

Enlistment Details: Crownhill, Ipswich; Date: 7th July 1911; Age: 19 years & 10 months; Occupation: General Labourer; Religion: CofE. Next of Kin: brother – George Charles Backhouse (aged 45), of 31, Seville Street, Plaistow, E.13, and sister – Barbara Backhouse (43), of 1, Duke Street, Ipswich. Height: 5ft 2 i1/4, fresh complexion, blue eyes & light brown hair. Tattoos: Clasped hands on right forearm and ALICE – True Love – with a heart & arrow on left forearm.

Service:

Home: 3rd September 1914 – 3rd November 1914.

France: 4th November 1914 – 22nd September 1917.

 

Rank: Sergeant; Service Number: 11646.

Regiment: Notts & Derby (Sherwood Foresters) Regiment, 17th Battalion.

 

Medals Awarded: Victory, British War, 1914 Star + Military Medal.

 

Grave Reference:

III.E.173.

Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension,

Bailleul,

Nord Pas-de-Calais,

France.

 

CENSUS

1901   1, Albert Street, St. Clement’s, Ipswich.

Robert was 10 years old and living with his widowed mother, siblings & nephew.

Esther May A. Backhouse (nee Canty), 50, a Charwoman, born Colchester, Essex.

Barbara Backhouse, 26, a Corset Boner, born Colchester.

Noah Robert Backhouse, 14, born Ipswich.

Samuel Backhouse, 5, born Ipswich.

George Smith Backhouse, 1, born Ipswich – died 1901, Ipswich.

 

1911   89, Albion Street, Ipswich.

Robert was 19 years old, a Foundry Labourer – Iron Foundry. He was living with his sister & her partner & children.

Samuel Edgar Charles Smith, 39, a Dock Labourer, born Ipswich.

Barbara, 36, a Housekeeper.

Samuel Smith Backhouse, 14, born Ipswich.

Arthur Smith Backhouse, 8, born Ipswich.

Robert Charles Smith Backhouse, 6, born Ipswich.

George Smith Backhouse, 9 months, born Ipswich.

 

Robert’s father was Robert Carter Backhouse, born August 1852, Ipswich – died August 1900, Ipswich. A Whitesmith. His mother, Esther Mary A. Backhouse died 1915, Ipswich.

 

Soldiers’ Effects to Barbara Smith – sister.

Robert is also remembered on St. Clement’s Church WW1 War Memorial

17th (Service) Battalion (Welbeck Rangers)
Formed at Nottingham on 1 June 1915 by the Mayor and a Recruiting Committee.
October 1915 : moved to Aldershot and came under orders of 117th Brigade in 39th Division. Moved to Witley in November 1915.
6 March 1916 : landed in France.