Pte Robert Patterson 1 Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers

[Will O'Brien]

As per the CWGC

Name: PATTERSON, ROBERT

Initials: R

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Private

Regiment/Service: Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers

Unit Text: "C" Coy. 1st Bn.

Age: 26

Date of Death: 29/06/1915

Service No: 8401

Additional information: Son of Mrs. J. McDonald (formerly Patterson), of 47, Thorndyke St., Albert Bridge Rd., Belfast, and the late John Patterson.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 97 to 101.

Memorial: HELLES MEMORIAL

[Will O'Brien]

& the memorial info

Cemetery: HELLES MEMORIAL

Country: Turkey

Visiting Information: The Panel Numbers quoted at the end of each entry relate to the panels dedicated to the Regiment served with. In some instances where a casualty is recorded as attached to another Regiment, his name may alternatively appear within their Regimental Panels. Please refer to the on-site Memorial Register Introduction to determine the alternative panel numbers if you do not find the name within the quoted Panels.

Location Information: The Anzac and Suvla cemeteries are first signposted from the left hand junction of the Eceabat- Bigali Road. From this junction travel into the main Anzac area. Follow the road to Helles, opposite the Kabatepe Museum, at 14.2 kms. take a right turn at the 'T' junction and at 14.3 kms. take the left fork. After a total of 22.8 kms, take a right turn to the memorial along a rough track 500m long. The Helles Memorial stands on the tip of the Gallipoli Peninsula. It takes the form of an obelisk over 30 metres high that can be seen by ships passing through the Dardanelles.

Historical Information: The eight month campaign in Gallipoli was fought by Commonwealth and French forces in an attempt to force Turkey out of the war, to relieve the deadlock of the Western Front in France and Belgium, and to open a supply route to Russia through the Dardanelles and the Black Sea. The Allies landed on the peninsula on 25-26 April 1915; the 29th Division at Cape Helles in the south and the Australian and New Zealand Corps north of Gaba Tepe on the west coast, an area soon known as Anzac. On 6 August, further landings were made at Suvla, just north of Anzac, and the climax of the campaign came in early August when simultaneous assaults were launched on all three fronts. However, the difficult terrain and stiff Turkish resistance soon led to the stalemate of trench warfare. From the end of August, no further serious action was fought and the lines remained unchanged. The peninsula was successfully evacuated in December and early January 1916. The Helles Memorial serves the dual function of Commonwealth battle memorial for the whole Gallipoli campaign and place of commemoration for many of those Commonwealth servicemen who died there and have no known grave. The United Kingdom and Indian forces named on the memorial died in operations throughout the peninsula, the Australians at Helles. There are also panels for those who died or were buried at sea in Gallipoli waters. The memorial bears more than 21,000 names. There are four other Memorials to the Missing at Gallipoli. The Lone Pine, Hill 60, and Chunuk Bair Memorials commemorate Australian and New Zealanders at Anzac. The Twelve Tree Copse Memorial commemorates the New Zealanders at Helles. Naval casualties of the United Kingdom lost or buried at sea are recorded on their respective Memorials at Portsmouth, Plymouth and Chatham, in the United Kingdom.

No. of Identified Casualties: 20841

[curranl]

From Ireland's Memorial Records;

Patterson, Robert. Reg. no. 8401, Rank, Private, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, 1st Batt.; Killed in Action, Gallipoli, June 29th, 1915; born Saintfield, Co. Down.

Private Patterson was presumably killed in the Turkish counterattacks on the positions taken by the 1st Inniskilling Fusiliers at Gully Spur on the 28th. Ray Westlake's British Regiments at Gallipoli says that the 1st 'Skins took Gully Spur on the 28th, but that "Attacks continued throughout night and next day".

Regards,

Liam.

[chrisharley9]

From SDGW

Born Saintfield, Co Down

Enlisted Belfast

KIA