Robert Frost
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- Military History
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Robert Frost was born in 1889 the son of John Henry Frost a coal carter and Rebecca Frost (née Seals). John Henry was born in 1857 at Nottingham and died in 1915. Rebecca Seals was born in 1861 at Newark. Married in 1880 at Nottingham, they had twelve children, eleven surviving infancy - William b.1880, Mary Ellen b.1882, Henry b.1884, Catherine b.1886, Robert b.1889, Leonard b.1891, Gertrude b.1893, Sarah b.1895, Bertie b.1897, Freddie b.1900 and Doris b.1906. All were born in Nottingham. In 1911, Robert’s widowed mother and his siblings lived at 66, Woolpack Lane, Nottingham. Robert was lodging at 2, Bentinck Street, Nottingham with his married brother William Frost, a coal carter and his wife Rebecca . Robert’s pension record card shows his mother ;ater living at 6, Sneinton Street, Hockley, Nottingham.
2/1 Westmoreland and Cumberland Hussars Robert Frost (alias Thomas Black) lost his life in the sinking of RMS Leinster, torpedoed in the Irish Sea on 10th October 1918. Frost enlisted shortly before his eighteenth birthday at Nottingham on 13th May 1907. In 1914, he arrived in France as Driver in the Army Service Corps, attached to the 9th Field Ambulance. Recorded as a deserter from 1st January 1918, his medals forfeited, he re-enlisted under the name Thomas Black, serving with 2/1 Westmoreland and Cumberland Hussars in Ireland at Buttevant and Charleville. He was buried as Thomas Black in Grangegorman Military Cemetery, Dublin, CE New Plot 722. RMS Leinster In 1895, the City of Dublin Steam Packet Company ordered four steamers for Royal Mail service, named for four provinces of Ireland: RMS Leinster, RMS Connaught, RMS Munster, and RMS Ulster. Leinster's log states that she carried 77 crew and 694 passengers on her final voyage. However, recent research asserts there were 813 people on board of whom 569 were lost, the greatest ever loss of life in the Irish Sea and the highest ever casualty rate on an Irish owned ship (rmsleinster.com). The ship had previously been attacked in the Irish Sea but the torpedoes missed their target. On board were more than 100 British civilians, 22 postal sorters (working in the mail room) and almost 500 military personnel from the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force. There were also nurses from the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States. Just before 10 a.m. as it was sailing east of the Kish Bank in a heavy swell, passengers saw a torpedo, fired by UB-123, approach from the port side and pass in front of the bow. A second torpedo followed shortly afterwards, and struck the ship forward on the port side in the vicinity of the mail room. The ship made a U-turn in an attempt to return to Kingstown as it began to settle slowly by the bow. However, she sank rapidly after a third torpedo struck causing a huge explosion. Despite the heavy seas, the crew managed to launch several lifeboats and some passengers clung to life-rafts. The survivors were rescued by HMS Lively, HMS Mallard and HMS Seal and landed at Victoria Wharf, Kingstown (Dun Laoghaire), where the ferry terminal now stands. Doctors, nurses, rescue workers and a fleet of 200 ambulances rushed to Victoria Wharf. Those needing medical care were brought to St. Michael's Hospital in Kingstown (Dun Laoghaire) and several Dublin Hospitals. Those not requiring medical treatment were brought to local hotels and guest houses. In the days that followed bodies were recovered from the sea. Funerals took place in many parts of Ireland. Some bodies were brought to Britain, Canada and the United States for burial. One hundred and forty four military casualties were interred in Grangegorman Military Cemetery in Dublin. Ten days after sinking RMS Leinster, UB-123 detonated a mine while trying to cross the North Sea and return to base in Imperial Germany. There were no survivors amongst her crew of 36. Leinster was UB-123's ony sinking. She had previously captured three Danish steamers Anine, Constantin and Hjortholm and damaged an American ship Calorie on October 16th 1918. (Courtesy of Wikipedia).
Nottingham Evening Post Roll of Honour (abridged) 3/12/1918: 'Frost. Torpedoed on Leinster October 10th, Dvr R Frost ASC. From his sorrowing mother, 4 brothers serving, Harry (Salonika), Leonard, (Mesopotamia), Bert (Italy), Fred (England), brother Willie.' “FROST. – Torpedoed on Leinster October 10th, Dvr. R. Frost, A.S.C., after four years and 3 months service abroad. What would we give to clasp your hand, and bid you welcome home. – From loving sister and brother, Mr. and Mrs. Radford, Jolly Brickmakers, Woolpack-lane.” In memoriam published 'Nottingham Evening Post,' 10th October 1919:- . “FROST. – In loving memory of my dear son, Driver R. Frost, who was killed on the Leinster, October 10th, 1918. Dearly loved and sadly missed. – From his dear mother, brothers, and sisters. “FROST. – In loving memory of our dear brother, Driver R. Frost, who was killed on the Leinster, October 10th, 1918. Though lost to sight fond memory clings. – From his loving brother and sister.” Newspaper entries courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918
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