TOPIC:

Hi, I'm helping someone with their family tree and the above named chap is proving highly elusive! I believe he fought at some point during the Boer war, but his medal was sold when the family needed the money, and other than the memory of it existing, we have no other information to go on.

He was born in 1879 in Newcastle, Northumberland, to Charles Alexander Burleigh Robson (who also doesn't appear to exist!) and the first evidence of him is when he married in 1906. He gives his profession as "soldier" and his father is deceased. We have him in 1911, serving with the Irish Fusiliers and he died of wounds in 1917. We have been unable to find any papers for his service in WW1 other than the CWGC. We know he was in India in 1914 as hi son was born there.
I thought I'd found him in 1901, but it appears there was a different Alexander Robson serving with the Irish fusiliers at the same time. We don't know if he served with them for his whole army career or whether he was transferred there, however he was also a Mason and when he joined the Lodge in 1912 he was a sergeant with the Irish fusiliers then.

I really hope somebody on this forum can help find some evidence of him existing pre-1906 as I've exhausted most avenues that I know of!

Thanks,
Jo

Hello Jo

Welcome to the forum.

Are you looking for this soldier? Charles Alexander Burleigh Robson and his whereabouts before 1906, and him possibly serving in the Boer War?

9776 Sgt (Acting Company Sgt Major) Alexander Robson, 2nd Bn Royal Irish Fusiliers.

DCM - London Gazette 3rd June 1915

For Conspicuous Gallantry at St Eloi on 14th March 1915

''When almost encircled by the enemy, he held the trench against superior numbers with marked ability and by his determination and example greatly contributed to the complete success which was eventually attained''



I believe he is buried in Israel? (1917)
Does the family have anymore information regarding the proposed Boer War service?
Any additional clues or family snippets may help the forum to respond to your request.
Hope I have the right chap?

Best wishes

Dave....

He is serving under the name Alexander Robson.
The above information gives his birth date and his time serving the colours.
Nearly 18 years. Which would equate to his attestation being circa 1898.

Yes, that's the one. I'm sure he must have served in the Boer war as the medal couldn't belong to anyone else. I'm afraid the family have no info other than the medal. My friend did manage to track down the owner (no idea how!) and has a photo of it. but other than that, there's nothing.

Jo - this can be found on the Monte Cassino Foundation Facebook page:



The military headstones of both father & son can be found on Find-a-Grave.

On Ancestry there is a public Heaver Family Tree on which they both appear and the creator "Cumbrianangel" has the father as born in Kent and a year of birth corresponding with the CWGC listing (posted above by Dave F) that is to say 1881. In 2006 Cumbrianangel made some enquiries of the Great War Forum in 2006 in which she claimed the father was her third cousin.

Regards, David.

Jo
Do the family recognise this entry?
Possible Father, and son aged 2, which does correlate with the 1879 date on the RIF officers entry.