9th Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers (British Army)
Died:
19/04/1918 (Killed in Action)
Age:
24
Summary
Robert Hamilton was the son of Mary Hamilton. He was born about 1892 in Clabby, County Fermanagh, near Fivemiletown. He and is mother later moved to Kilmore East, Scotstown, County Monaghan. He worked as a servant. Robert Hamilton was a member of the Ulster Volunteer Force in County Monaghan. Robert Hamilton enlisted in Monaghan in the Royal Irish Fusiliers when a recruitment party came to town in February 1915. He was later stricken with fever and was brought back to Britain as an invalid. He then returned home to Monaghan to recuperate. Private Hamilton left Ballinode on Easter Saturday, March 30th 1918, and returned to his unit on the western front in France, Private Robert Hamilton was serving with the 9th Battalion of the Princess Victoria's (Royal Irish Fusiliers) when he was killed in action on 19th April 1918, three weeks after rejoining his unit.
Further Information
Robert Hamilton was the son of Mary Hamilton. He was born about 1892 in Clabby, County Fermanagh, near Fivemiletown.
The 1901 census lists Robert as age 9 boarding at house 9 in Brockagh, Clabby, County Fermanagh.
The 1911 census lists Robert as age 19 boarding at house 5 in Kilmore East, Scotstown, County Monaghan. He was working as a servant.
Robert Hamilton was a member of the Ulster Volunteer Force in County Monaghan.
Robert Hamilton enlisted in Monaghan in the Royal Irish Fusiliers when a recruitment party came to town in February 1915.
Private Hamilton arrived in France with the Royal Irish Fusiliers on 4th October 1915.
Private Robert Hamilton survived unscathed during the five month long Battle of the Somme in 1916.
However, sometime afterwards, possibly in 1917, he was 'stricken with fever' and was brought back to Britain as an invalid. He then returned home to Monaghan to recuperate.
Private Hamilton left Ballinode on Easter Saturday, March 30th 1918, and returned to his unit on the western front in France,
Private Robert Hamilton was serving with the 9th Battalion of the Princess Victoria's (Royal Irish Fusiliers) when he was killed in action on 19th April 1918, three weeks after rejoining his unit. He was 26 years old.
Private Robert Hamilton has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot memorial near Ypres.
Private Robert Hamilton is also commemorated locally on Fivemiletown War Memorial.
Private Robert Hamilton is also commemorated on a plaque in St Dympna's Church of Ireland church in Bellanode, County Monaghan.
Private Robert Hamilton is also commemorated on the WWI Plaque in Mullahara Orange Hall, County Monaghan.
Most of the information here was derived from the Michael Fisher’s research and website (see below).
Private Robert Hamilton is listed on page 65 of the Fivemiletown book, from which some of these details come from. Many thanks to Mark Byers for the information.
