Robert Thrale

Robert attested in the Territorial Force (Imperial Service Battalion) on 21 April 1914. According to his service record, he was aged 19 years 10 months. He was posted to the 1/7th Bn. Sherwood Foresters and appointed unpaid lance-corporal on 13 August 1915, to the paid rank on 23 August 1915 and then promoted corporal on 28 December the same year. Robert was appointed the battalion's medical orderly. He was killed in action at Gommecourt on 1 July 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France. Service: Home 21 April 1914-27 February 1915 (313 days). France 28 February 1915-1 July 1916 (1 year 124 days). He qualified for the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. Martin Middlebrook wrote in 'The First Day of the Somme': “When the Robin Hoods (1/7th Sherwoods) marched out of their village just on the eve of the Somme attack to march up to the line the normally fierce regimental sergeant major standing by the side of the road had tears streaming down his face.” After the 1/7th attacked Gommecourt Wood and suffered heavy casualties, the surviving remnants of the battalion became bogged down in No Man’s Land. They were harried by the Germans who continued to fire and throw grenades at them. Some were also captured. Many men, including some of the officers, including W E G Walker, ON, remained lying or hanging on the German wire in No Man’s Land until March 1917, when the Germans retreated to their new trench positions called the Hindenburg Line, before they could be buried. Many could not be recognised. In the 46th North Midland Division, which included the 1/7th Sherwoods at Gommecourt, the numbers of men returning from No Man’s Land by nightfall were so small that senior officers refused to believe that the remainder had been lost and wanted other men to go into No Man’s Land to look for them. The commanding officer of 1/7th, Major Hind, was among the missing. He was already dead. The 46th Division suffered 2,455 casualties on the 1st July in what was only a diversionary attack to the main offensive in the south. Robert Thrale during the Great War is recorded as the Captain of the Battalion Football team. He was a medical orderly, as his photographic portrait clearly shows and, on 1st July 1916, he accompanied the 7th Sherwoods’ Medical Officer, Captain J W Scott, when he went forward with a medical party, including Thrale, behind the 4th wave of the Sherwoods attack. By this time the smoke that had clouded the German trenches was clearing. As the party emerged from the remains of the smoke cloud in full view of the German trenches, they were caught by the artillery and machine gun cross fire sweeping No Man’s Land. Every man bar one was hit immediately with Captain Scott remaining miraculously unscathed. Amongst the men of the medical detachment who perished were two 20 year olds, including Corporal Thrale, and seven stretcher bearers. Captain Scott returned to the trenches where, in the absence of so many other officer casualties, he organised the defence of the trenches as well as treating some of the 200 wounded suffered by the battalion. He was awarded the MC. Thrale’s body was never found and he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. Three other ONs, Mellard, Kellett and WEG Walker were also killed in this flawed and pointless attack on 1st July 1916. Thrale is recorded in the Sherwood Foresters’ History. It states that he was the Battalion Medical Orderly, ‘a lad of 19 at mobilisation’ who ‘was one of the lights of the medical staff’. ‘His cheerfulness and unvarying good nature, also the fact that he was Captain of the Battalion Football Team made him a great favourite in the battalion. He was gifted with extraordinary endurance on long marches besides having to remain behind continually with men who had fallen out and to regain his place with the Battalion, he usually spent time at the halts performing service for others. It is sad to record that he lost his life at Gommecourt, July 1st 1916.’

Robert's uncle, Henry Thrale, his father's brother, served with the Canadian Expeditionary Force (670185 Private) and was killed in action on 17 August 1917. He left a wife, Lillian (née Gilbert), and two sons. Henry Thrale's brother-in-law, Albert Gilbert, also served with the CEF (721694 Private) and died of wounds on 28 July 1918. (See records on this Roll of Honour) Robert's uncle, Claude Bilbie, his mother's brother, served with the Grenadier Guards (14806 Private) before the war, was mobilized in August 1914 and was killed in action in France on 31 July 1917. (See record on this Roll of Honour) Robert's personal possessions (letters/cards) were returned to his mother at 13 Harley Street in early 1919. Registers of Soldiers' Effects: A payment in March 1917 was made to Robert's mother, Elizabeth, 'at father's request.' A second payment in October 1919 was made to Robert snr. WW1 Pension Ledgers: named his mother Elizabeth Thrale. Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Roll of Honour’, 8 July 1916: ‘Thrale. Killed in action, July 1st, Corporal R Thrale, medical officers’ orderly, Sherwood Foresters, the dearly loved so of Robert and Elizabeth Thrale, 13, Harley-street, Lenton. His duty nobly done. His willing hands helped many others. From his broken-hearted mother, and father in Egypt, and soldier brother Claude.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Roll of Honour’, 10 July 1916: ‘Thrale. Killed in action, July 1st, 1916. My beloved son, Bob, Sherwood Foresters, aged 20 years. Not good-bye, dear one, only good night. Mother.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Roll of Honour’, 10 July 1916: ‘Thrale. Killed in action, July 1st, 1916, our beloved nephew (Bob), Corporal R Thrale, medical officer’s orderly, Sherwood Foresters, of Lenton, aged 20 years. Loved by all. Aunties.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Acknowledgements,’ 13 July 1916: ‘Mrs Thrale and son Claude (home on leave), of 13, Harley-street, Lenton, wish to thank all kind friends for their expressions of sympathy in the sad loss of Bob, our dear boy.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam’, 2 July 1917: ‘Thrale. In proud and loving memory of Corporal Robert Thrale (Bob), medical officer’s orderly, Sherwood Foresters, killed in action July 1st, 1916, the dearly loved son of Private and Mrs Thrale, 13 Hartley-street, Lenton. Dearly loved, sadly missed. Your sweet voice re-echoes although you sleep. Not good-bye, dear Bob, only good night. From his sorrowing mother and father (in Egypt).’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam’, 2 July 1917: ‘Thrale. In loving memory of dear Bob, killed in action July1st, 1916. No morning dawns or evening shadows fall, but what we think of you, dear. His aunties Charlotte, Pollie [Mary Ann], Jennie [Jane], Beatie [Beatrice].’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam’, 2 July 1917: ‘Thrale. In loving memory of my dear and only brother, Bob, killed in action July 1st, 1916. Safe in God’s home port; you are not dead. His sorrowing brother Claud (in France).’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam,’ 1 July 1919: ‘Thrale. In proud and loving memory of our dear son and brother, Corpl. Robert Thrale (Bob), aged 20, of Lenton, 1/7 Robin Hoods, killed in action July 1st, 1916. Only good night, dear Bob, how dearly we loved you, and you took with you the sunshine from our home, only good night. Sorrowing mother, father and brother.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam,’ 1 July 1919: ‘Thrale. In sweet remembrance of our beloved nephew, Corpl. Robert Thrale, died for his country July 1st, 1916. Beautiful memories of a dear lad. Sorrowing aunties.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Two ‘In Memoriam’ notices, 1 July 1920, from parents and brother and from 'his aunties.' Also notices 1 July 1926 and 1 July 1936 from parents and brother. Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths,' 13 June 1944: ‘Thrale. On June 8th, Robert, beloved husband of Elizabeth, father of Claud and Ethel [Claud's wife], grandpa of Pauline.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Deaths,’ 16 September 1944: ‘Thrale. September 14th, Elizabeth, wife of the late Robert, of Lenton. Loving son, wife, granddaughter, sisters and brothers.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)