Name
Robert Fulks
1888
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
26/09/1917
29
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
45650
Suffolk Regiment
4th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TYNE COT MEMORIAL
Panels 40 to 41 and 162 to 162A
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Wigginton Village Memorial,
Not on the Heronsgate memorial,
Not on the Tring memorials
Pre War
Robert Fulks was born in Tring in 1887 the son of James Fulks, farmer’s son. and Dorcas Louisa (nee Eggleton).
On the 1891 census the family of parents, Edith M(born 1884), Percy(born 1886), Robert and Leonard (born 1890) were living Hastoe, Tring.
In 1901 the family were living in Fox Road, Wigginton now with Edith, Robert (13, a poultry boy on farm), Leonard, Kathleen M (born 1893), Hugh (born 1895), Esther L (born 1897) and Raymond G (born 1900).
On the 1911 census Robert aged 23, a parcel porter, was boarding with Charles Anderson and family at 109 Wells House Road, Willesden, Acton.
Robert married Emma Hudson in 1914 in Stockton and their daughter Mabel Emily Jessie was born on 4 Jul 1915 in Willesden. Records of Railwaymen who died in the Great War name Robert as the son of James and Louisa Fulks of Egremont, Alberta, Canada (so presumably they emigrated) and husband of Emma Fulks of Beaumont House, Heronsgate, Rickmansworth.
Emma did not remarry and in 1939 was living 34 Harold Road, Acton with her daughter Mabel and her husband Charles Everett.
Wartime Service
No Service Record was found for Robert who joined the Suffolk Regiment as Private 45650 in the 1/4th Battalion. This Battalion was formed Aug 1914 in Ipswich part of the Norfolk and Suffolk Brigade East Anglian Division. The Division landed Le Havre on 9 Nov 1914 coming under the command of Jullundur Brigade 3rd (Lahore) Division.
On the 15 Nov 1915 the Battalion transferred to 46th Brigade 15th (Scottish) Division and on the 22 Feb 1916 to 98th Brigade 33rd Division. Robert joined the Battalion probably on the Somme in 1916 where the Division was present at the Battles of Somme (Albert 1-13 Jul, Bazentin Ridge 14-17 Jul and High Wood 20-25 Jul). In 1917 the Arras Offensive (1st Scarpe 9-14 Apr), 2nd Scarpe (23-24 Apr), Actions on the Hindenberg Line ( 20 May- 25 Sep) and Operations on the Flanders Coast Jul/Aug 1917). The Battalion moved to the Ypres area for the 3rd Battle of Ypres which lasted from Jul to Nov 1917, and were involved in the Battles of Menin Road (20-25 Sep) and Polygon Wood (26-3 Oct). They suffered heavy casualties early in the day under intense shellfire, but later made some progress capturing two machine guns and thirteen prisoners. Total battalion casualties on the 25th/26th were 45 killed, 157 wounded, 63 missing.
Robert was one of those reported as killed in action on 26 Sep 1917. His remains were not recovered and he is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Ypres.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £3 and arrears of £1 16s 8d was paid to his widow Emma who also received a pension 18s 9d for herself and child.
Acknowledgments
Gareth Hughes, Stuart Osborne, Neil Cooper
Mike Collins, Gareth Hughes
