Name
Robert Sillett
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
134886
Royal Garrison Artillery
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Biography
Robert Sillett was born at Stowupland, near Stowmarket in Suffolk in April 1877. He was one of six children born to Elijah and Eliza Sillett. In the 1881 Census Elijah worked as a Maltster’s Labourer, and the family lived at Stowupland. The family continued to live at Stowupland, and in 1891 Elijah was employed as a Chemical Labourer.
By 1901 Robert had moved from the family home, and in the Census was employed by the Metropolitan Asylum Board, and lived at the Leavesden Asylum, where he worked as an Asylum Attendant. On 28th October 1906 Robert married Gertrude Mole at Hinderclay, near Diss in Suffolk, and at the time of the 1911 Census he lived at 17 Asylum Cottages, and was still employed at the Asylum.
Robert enlisted on 26th June 1916, and attended a Medical Examination at Bedford on 20th September 1916. He was called up for service at Watford on 16th December 1916, and at the time worked as an Asylum Attendant, and was still living at 17 Asylum Cottages. He was nearly 40 years old at this point and although his preference was to join the Royal Army Medical Corps, as many of the Asylum Attendants had done, he was posted to the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA) and sent to No 1 Depot of the RGA at Rugeley.
Robert avoided being posted to the Western Front, or overseas and on 8th January 1917 he was posted to the Forth RGA. The Abbots Langley Parish Magazine Roll of Honour recorded Robert for the first time in March 1917, serving with the RGA. On 12th May 1917 he was recorded serving with 10th Company 2/5th Fire Command, Forth RGA. The Forth RGA, based at North Queensferry, deployed batteries to defend the Forth estuary near Edinburgh throughout the War. On 31st August 1918 he was posted to the 21st Forth Fire Command, and after the cessation of hostilities he was granted twelve days leave on 7th December 1918
Robert was recorded in the Absent Voter Records for Autumn 1918 and Spring 1919, serving with the RGA. His address was given at 17 Asylum Cottages, Abbots Langley.
Robert’s Service Record noted that he was sent to Edinburgh for Dispersal on 6th February 1919, and was demobilised to 17 Asylum Cottages, Abbots Langley on 7th March 1919.
Robert Sillett survived the War. A man called John Sillett was recorded in the Abbots Langley Parish Magazine Roll of Honour just once, in January 1917. Little is known about this man, and it is not known if he was related to Robert Sillett.
Acknowledgments
Roger Yapp - www.backtothefront.org
