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.
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