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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Lt Robert Alistair Field MC.


Bob Coulson

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This officer was KIA April 2nd 1917, could anyone find his MC citation from the London Gazette website please.

I can't for the life of me get the search to work.

Would be grateful for any help.

Bob.

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Bob

Found it!

SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 10 JANUARY, 1917. 457

(Published on 9 January 1917)

Lt. Robert Alister Field, York. R., Spec.

Res.

For conspicuous gallantry in action. He

displayed great courage and initiative during

a bombing attack. Meeting an obstacle in

the trench, he went along the parapet under

heavy fire, jumped into the trench again,

and killed one of the enemy.

Located the entry using the search term "robert a field"

Regards

Mark

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Mark,

Thats great I'm very grateful for your help, everything fits with what I have found so far about him.

I do struggle with the LG search engine??

Many thanks.

Bob.

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Bob,

What were the 2/Yorks doing about this time. I have a chap killed on the 9th April 1917 from the same battalion.

Sorry, this is becoming a bit of a habit jumping in on other peoples threads like this.

Roger.

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Bob

Owing to the way the search engine works many Gazette entries can be extremely difficult to find.

Forrest Anderson’s web site has a useful Tips and Tricks section for working around its shortfalls at http://www.forrestdale.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/LGTips.html. It is worth reading but does not guarantee finding the entry you want.

Regards

Mark

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Roger,

Captain Field was killed April 2nd in the 2nd battalion's attack on the village of Henin-sur-Cojeul.

One week later on April 9th they took part in the first stage of the Battle of Arras.

The attack was launched at 5-30am on the enemy positions to the east of Neuville Vitasse with battalions of the Wiltshires and Kings alongside them.

The 2nd Yorkshires fought right through the day and were finally relieved at

1-00am on April 10th.

The battalion suffered over 100 casualties in this action, killed, wounded and missing.

Hope this info is of some use to you.

Bob.

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Bob,

Thats great, thanks.

During your research have you come across 2/Lt. Harold Thomas Morris 4/Yorks? He was KIA 10/11/16, which I believe would have been during the attack on the Butte D' Warlencourt.

Roger.

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Sorry Bob, my brain has turned to custard! That was the post I apologised for missing and promptly missed it again :P

I spent part of this morning at the library and found the location in Bedale of 2/Lt. Morris's home in 1913 and found he was also secretary of Bedale Rifle Club.

Roger.

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  • 8 years later...
Guest JoyReynard

Is it possible to contact Bob Coulson please? In this very old post made in 2004, he is asking about Lt/Capt Robert Alister Field MC. I have been researching this officer as he is a cousin of my Mother's. I have only just joined this site, so not sure how to make contact.

Would be grateful for any advice please.

Thank you.

Joy

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  • 1 year later...

Is it possible to contact Bob Coulson please? In this very old post made in 2004, he is asking about Lt/Capt Robert Alister Field MC. I have been researching this officer as he is a cousin of my Mother's. I have only just joined this site, so not sure how to make contact.

Would be grateful for any advice please.

Thank you.

Joy

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Joy

You may be interested to know my Grandfather knew Cpt Field. He was a Methodist army chaplain. He often talked about Cpt Fields bravery to other men in sermons. On his grave it said 'He feared death so little because he'd feared God so much'.

After the War during the exhumation of the battle fields he was sitting talking to a lady and her daughter who had come over to France. He told the story of the fellow Yorkshireman he was so proud of. The lady enquired 'What was his name?' 'Robert Field'. My Grandfather replied. She said 'I am his Mother and this is his sister!'.

When they returned to England they sent my Grandfather his picture.

He believed it was divine providence that they met.

Tim Kendall

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  • 5 months later...
Guest JoyReynard

Hi Tim,

I am so sorry, but I have literally only just read your post today. That is quite amazing, and thank you so much for reporting it for me.

I wonder when it was that your Grandfather met Robert's Mother and Sister. I hadn't realised that families from the UK went out to France. Would you know whether this was because they had foreknowledge that a particular soldier was being exhumed? This would have been after the end of the war, I assume? It was only after my Mother died that we found a photo of Robert and tried to find out more.

Thank you again.

Joy Reynard

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