MS Gen 1376/11/9 No 5 Platoon, B Company at Basingstoke: March 1915
Key Information
Name: Robert de Glanville
DoB: October 18 1896
Regt: Private S/13036 6th Cameron Highlanders
DoD: Missing presumed killed Sept 26 1915
Academic Career: Summer Term 1912-July 1913; University of Glasgow
Biographical Information
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Family Background:
Robert was born in Burma to Sir Oscar de Glanville, an Irish barrister who became President of the Burmese Legislative Council and married a Burmese girl. They had three children.
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Academic Record:
Robert had attended Ashby de la Zouch Grammar School in Leicestershire where Charles Frederick Christian Padel was head master. In 1912 Mr Padel became Carlisle’s headmaster. Douglas Hannay and Robert de Glanville were two of at least five pupils who made the move to Carlisle from Ashby de la Zouch between 1912-3.
Robert was a real asset to the school as he was an excellent cricketer and he was in the Rugby team too! He was a house prefect and a keen member of the debating society, he opposed two motions one of which probably reflects his experience “that constant travelling narrows a man’s intellect”, he also opposed the motion “that modern warfare does not pay the victor”. His all round sports ability meant that he was awarded the “senior challenge cup” in 1913.
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War Service:
After leaving Carlisle Grammar School Robert went to Glasgow University to study engineering. However he was there for only a short time as he signed up for active service on Sept 8 1914. Like many hundreds of other recruits Robert lied when he signed up and added two years to his age, saying he was 19 years and 11 months when he was only 17 years and 11 months! He joined the 6th Battalion Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders. He was 5 feet 6 ½ inches tall and 133lbs, with a dark complexion, dark hair and brown eyes.
Robert died at Loos. Unusually there is an account of his death written by Private David D Munro, who lay beside him on the battlefield for the last hour of his life; and said that he died peacefully. The following day there was no trace of his body as there had been further shelling. He had been in France just 79 days.
It is nice to note that Private Munro survived the war and was demobbed in 1919.
The “Old Carliol” Magazine at first listed Robert as wounded, then as a POW, before his death was finally confirmed.
The following was in The Carliol magazine in the spring edition of 1917.
From Private Norman Shaw, 3rd Cameron Highlanders
“Since I returned to this depot I have come into contact with numerous members of De Glanville’s old battalion…All speak well of him, and from what I hear his courage and pluck were splendid. These characteristics endeared him to his comrades, but not so much as another virtue of his – his unselfishness. Lance-Corporal Spence told me of how De Glanville often gave up his rations to any young boy in the trenches. That, I think, is a more meritorious deed than going out to help a wounded man. Again, I have heard of his perpetual desire to be doing something useful, and, as a result he was greatly in demand for listening posts, wiring parties and other tasks for which only volunteers are of use.”
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Battalion:
Cameron Highlanders
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Sources:
a) Carlisle School Memorial Register 1264-1924
b) Ancestry Web Site: Medal Roll
c) Family member
d) Archives at University of Glasgow
