Message for Andy Shaw re Royal Irish Fusiliers.

[cumbrianangel]

Hi Andy,

Sorry but I don't seem to be able to locate your post of yesterday telling me that you have lots of info. re The Royal Irish Fusiliers.

THis morning I took a look at the death cert. of Charles, Alexander Robson's son (it is rather confusing because actually both men were known as Charles).

It states that he was 29 at the time of his death in 1944, which takes us back to about 1915 (I don't have his dob as yet). It also states that he was born in India. I know that his father was awarded his DCM in March 1915 at St. Eloi but would he have been in India prior (or in fact, after) France or would there have been some other reason why his wife and Charles's slightly older sister would have been in India? As his father was killed in November 1917 I am wondering if he ever met his son, would the regiment have been fighting continously or would there have been the chance for him to take some leave? Sorry if this is a stupid question to ask, as you will by now have realised, I have very little knowledge of army life at times of war.

Best wishes,

Shirley (in Cumbria but born in Kent).

PS. there is one other thing, I see that many people remember their lost ones at the bottom of their messages, can you tell me how I go about adding Alexander and Charles to mine please?

[Armoured Farmer]

Re Adding your own memorial.

Click on My Controls, then in the Menu column on the left click on Edit Signature under Personal Profile.

You can then type your message.

[Andy Shaw]

The 2nd Battalion were stationed in India from the end of the Boer War until December 1914 when they sailed to France.

I have done a quick search on Alexander Robson in the Regimental Gazette and found the following entries for him:

July 1908 promoted Lance Sergt to Sergeant; the attached photograph was taken of the Sergeants in 1908. Unfortunately the men are not named, do you have a photograph of Alexander?

[cumbrianangel]

Hi Andy,

Firstly, I tried to reply to your message last night but the gemlins got at it again and posted your reply again without mine! Not sure what I'm doing wrong :-(

Anyway, thank you so much for the extra info. especially about them being in India. This explains why Charles was born there and I am now presuming that his sister, who was slightly older, would have been too. I am considering trying to trace her birth to maybe lead me to a living relative and as I don't know her Chrisitan name, this info. could be a great help.

I think that Charles would have been born towards the end of 1914 or the beginning of 1915. Would the families have remained in India after the men left or would they automatically return home? I am still wondering whether the father would ever have met his baby son? I must find Charles's birth next.........

To see the photo was fantastic, thanks again. Sadly I have no photo of Alexander, so have no idea which man is him. Several of them look so similar, maybe it's down to all those moustaches! If I could track down another relative then perhaps one day we could put a name to a face?!

Best wishes,

Shirley