1667 Sergeant Robert Fellows of the 1/5th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry, died of wounds on the 19th February 1916.
Robert Fellows was born at Darlington and enlisted at Castle Eden. Soldiers Died in The Great War and The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) give his place of residence as Trimdon Colliery, Durham. Sergeant Fellows was, according to CWGC, 46 years old when he died, although this age is at odds with information recorded on his service record and the 1901 census. He was probably closer to 40 years old and it seems possible that 40 was mis-transcribed as 46 by an over-worked clerk at the Imperial War Graves Commission. CWGC also records that Robert was the son of Benjamin and Isabella Fellows, and the husband of Mary Jane Fellows, of Coffee Pot Street, Trimdon Colliery, County Durham.
Robert had married Mary Jane Wood at Darlington in the December quarter of 1898 and the couple appear on the 1901 census living "Behind the pit" at Trimdon. Robert is recorded as a 24-year-old colliery foreman and his wife's age is noted as 22. She was born at Wheatley Hill, another mining village in County Durham. Completing the family in 1901 was the couple's two month old son, William Alfred. Other children would follow.
The 5th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry was headquartered at Stockton-on-Tees and appears to have had something of a recruitment drive in 1912 which was when Robert Fellows joined the battalion. His number dates to the 8th of June that year.
From surviving service papers in the WO 363 series held at the National Archives we can see that at the time of his attestation, Robert Fellows stated that he was 34 years old and working as a miner for the Trimdon Grange Coal Company. He was five feet, six and a half inches tall and had good physical development (as one might expect of a miner). It is also noted that he had previously served with the battalion for two years before being discharged at the end of his period of engagement. Papers from this enlistment also survive and record that he first joined the 5th DLI on the 22nd May 1908. At that time, still working at the colliery, Robert's age was recorded as 33 years and five months and he had been serving as a Volunteer with the 1st Volunteer Battlion, Durham Light Infantry since the 26th May 1906.
With the demise of the Volunteer Force and the birth of the Territorials, many serving Volunteers re-enlisted with their newly formed local unit and Robert Fellows duly signed on for one year initially, and then a second year. He was certainly present at the battalion's annual camps at Scarborough in 1908 and Richmond in 1909.
Having enlisted for a second time, Robert was appointed lance-corporal in October 1912 and then promoted to corporal in April 1913. He was still a corporal when Britain went to war in August 1914 but was appointed acting sergeant the following month.
On the formation of a second-line battalion in September 1914, the 5th DLI became the 1/5th DLI and the new battalion, the 2/5th. Robert Fellows remained in England with the 1/5th until April 1915 when he was posted to the 2/5th DLI. He was posted back to the 1/5th DLI on the 26th June 1915 and then sailed for France the following day. On arrival in France his rank is noted as Sub Sergeant.
In July 1915, Sergeant Fellows was hospitalised at Bailleul with an ear infection and, having seen an ear specialist, did not return to his battalion until the 24th September 1915 (the day before the opening of the Battle of Loos).
Robert Fellows received a combination of shrapnel and gunshot wounds to his feet and legs on the 15th February 1916. He was taken to Number 17 Casualty Clearing Station the same day and died there of his wounds four days later. That was 94 years ago today.
Robert Fellows is buried in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery in Belgium. As well as a widow, he also left five sons and a daughter who, along with their mother, were awarded a weekly pension of 30 shillings from 11th September 1916. Robert had also written a will, leaving everything to his wife and children. In due course, Mary Jane would also be sent her husband's medals and the memorial plaque and scroll.
Robert and Mary's children were, in age order, William Alfred Fellows (born around February 1901), Emma Jane Fellows (birth registered in the December quarter of 1902), Robert Anthony Fellows (birth registered in the March quarter of 1905), (Ernest Fellows), birth registered in the December quarter of 1908), Harry Fellows, (birth registered in the December quarter of 1910), and Harold Fellows (birth registered in the December quarter of 1913). The children must have sorely missed their father.
Photo of war memorial in The Trimdons courtesy of Hett65, Great War Forum.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.
Sources:
Ancestry.co.uk (BMD, 1901 census, MIC, WO 363)
Army Service Numbers 1881-1918
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Soldiers Died in The Great War
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