Name
Robert George Carrington
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
25/03/1918
22
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
32592
Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry
5th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
HAUTMONT COMMUNAL CEMETERY
I. A. 17.
France
Headstone Inscription
LOVED BY ALL NEVER TO BE FORGOTTEN
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial,
Holy Saviour Church War Memorial, Radcliffe Rd., Hitchin,
St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, Hitchin
Pre War
Robert was born in Hitchin in 1896 and christened on 10 September 1896, his parents George and May Eleanor Carrington.
In 1901 the family were living at 14 Benslow Lane, Hitchin. The parents were George (29), who was a tailor, and May E (27), the children were Robert G (4), Alice E (3) and William Hector at 7 months.
They were still at the same address in 1911. George a tailor and Robert, at 14, was a tailor’s apprentice, William was present with a new sister May Eleanor (8). The census recorded that their parent had been married for 15 years and they had 4 children, all living.
Robert was officially recorded as born in Hitchin and enlisted there.
Wartime Service
Robert was given the Regimental Number T/5363 in the Notts & Derby Regiment, but was later posted to the 5th Battalion of the Ox & Bucks with the Number 32592. He went to France in July 1916 and was wounded.
Between the 21st and 23rd March 1918 he was reported missing and became a prisoner of war in a German P.O.W. hospital where he died. He is known to have been suffering from a severely septic thigh wound. The information concerning his death came from Captain Marshall Gilbertson of Hitchin who was a prisoner in the same area.
Before being called up he was a tailor by trade and during his time in the trenches he did many tailoring jobs for his comrades.
He was buried in Plot 1, Row A, Grave 17 in the Hautmont Communal Cemetery in France.
Additional Information
After his death £22 15s 2d was authorised to go to his mother on 15 March 1919 and later a war gratuity of £9 was authorised to be paid to her on 5 December 1919.
His mother ordered his headstone inscription: "LOVED BY ALL NEVER TO BE FORGOTTEN".
On his pension card the address for his mother May Eleanor Carrington, his next of kin, was 14 Benslow Lane, Hitchin. However, this was amended to his father George. The pension allocated was 5s a week from 6 November 1918.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, Jonty Wild
