Name
Robert Tims
16th July 1892
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
23/12/1917
25
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Rifleman
591917
London Regiment (London Irish Rifles)
2nd/18th (County of London) Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
JERUSALEM WAR CEMETERY
T. 26.
Israel and Palestine (including Gaza)
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hatfield In Memoriam Book, Lemsford Village Memorial, Not on the Hertford memorials
Pre War
Robert Tims, the youngest child of Betsy and Robert John Tims, was born on the 16th of July 1892 and baptised at St. John's, Lemsford on the 11th September 1892. His father, who ran the watercress beds at what is now Lemsford Springs Nature Reserve, had died six weeks earlier on the 3rd of June. He attended Lemsford School from 7th September 1896 - 3rd August 1906 and left to help his widowed mother in the watercress beds.
The family has not been found in the 1891 census, but Robert’s father was a watercress grower Hatfield in 1881 (before Robert junior was born), present were his wife Betsy and 4 older siblings: Sarah A. 3, Harriet 2, George William 1 and an aunt, Ellen M.
Robert’s father died on 3rd June 1892
By 1901 Robert (junior) was 8 in Lemsford, was living with his widowed mother and five siblings: Sarah and Harriet were not present, George was, and now there were four more older siblings: Arthur John 19, Charles Edward Tims 16, Florence Emily 12, Ethel May (10) and of course Robert. Their mother Betsy was working as a water cress grower.
In 1911 Robert was living at Little Barford House, St Neots, Huntingdonshire and working as a Hall Boy. His mother was visiting a family in Cromer, near Stevenage, Herts. This revealed that one of her nine children and died.
On the 22nd March 1917 he enlisted at Hertford giving his address as Kensington Palace Gardens, and joined the 9th London Regiment as Rifleman 4239.
The Soldiers Died In The Great War database (SDITGW) records Roberts as born in Hertford(sic) and was living in Kensington Palace Gardens when he enlisted in Chelsea.
Wartime Service
We are informed that he was discharged on the 30th November 1915 as being no longer physically fit for war service. On the 20th November 1916 he was issued with Silver War Badge No. 67427. The Silver Badge was worn on the right lapel of civilian clothes by ex-servicemen to show that they had been honourably discharged from military service because of wounds or sickness. It was a common practice for women to humiliate apparently able bodied men who were not in uniform by presenting them, with a white feather and branding them a coward.
After recovering from his illness Rifleman Robert Tims 591917 was assigned to the 2nd/18th Battalion of the London Regiment (London Irish Rifles). The Regiment, after serving in France and then Macedonia joined General Allenby's Army in Palestine fighting the Turks. They played a part in in the capture of Jerusalem and then the desert campaign. On the 23rd December 1917 the Battalion confronted a much superior Turkish force at Khurbet Adaseh, about 5 miles northeast of Jerusalem, and were wiped out - only one subaltern and one sergeant of the officers and NCOs survived. Rifleman Robert Tims died here.
The Bishop’s Hatfield Parish Magazine of April 1917, recorded under ‘Lemsford News’ – “Mrs Tims has heard from her son Robert, who has arrived safely in Salonika”. in February 1918: “Lemsford News, Once more with great regret, we have to record bad news of one of our Lemsford soldiers, Rifleman Robert Tims of the 2/18th London Irish Rifles, having lost his life in action in Palestine on December 23rd . He was the youngest son of a large family and much sympathy is felt for his mother, especially as it was some time since she had seen him, owing to his being so far away from home.” and then in March 1918: “Lemsford News, On Sunday evening Feb 17th a memorial service was held in the parish church for Private Robert Tims, Killed in Action on December 23rd. Many of his relations and friends were present, all anxious to show their sympathy with those who mourn his loss. A wreath of evergreen and snowdrops was placed around the “Roll of Honour”, which hangs just inside by Mrs John Sears.”
Awarded the British War Medal & Victory Medal and is remembered with Honour in the Jerusalem War Cemetery and on his parents’ headstone (*1). His name is also inscribed on Irelands Memorial Records of the Great War.
Biography
Additional Information
Hatfield Parish Council Souvenir Committee Ledger: Mrs R. Timms (Mother) no address given, received an “In Memoriam and Roll of Honour Album”.
*1 The inscription on his parents' grave in Lemsford's St. John's north churchyard, row 9, plot 9 reads: ‘In loving memory of Robert John Tims died June 3 1892 aged 35. Betsy Tims, died June 17th 1927 aged 73 Robert Tims killed Dec 23rd 1917 aged 25‘
Acknowledgments
Jonty Wild, Christine & Derek Martindale, Hatfield Local History Society (www.hatfieldhistory.uk), Andy Chapman & www.lemsfordww1.co.uk
