Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Joseph Cramp, born in the October quarter of 1866 in Cottesmore, Rutland (son of Robert Cramp, 1843-1915 and Susannah Ruddle, 1845-1930) and his wife Mary Ann Cramp (nee Johnson, formerly Foster, married in the October quarter of 1894 in Leicester), born 1854 in Leicester. Robert was born on the 9th May 1895 in St. Margaret’s, Leicester. In March 1901 Robert was absent from the family home at 33, Bradgate Street, St. Leonard’s, Leicester, residing there was his father, a general labourer, his mother and siblings, Walter, born on the 6th January 1897 and Ethel, born in the October quarter of 1898, both his siblings were born in Leicester, also residing in the family home were two half-blood siblings, William Foster, a shoe trade heel builder, born on the 18th April 1883 and baptised on the 12th January 1887 in St. Leonard’s Church, Leicester and Ernest Foster, a shoe trade heel builder, born on the 8th December 1886 and baptised on the 12th January 1887 in St. Leonard’s Church, Leicester, the latter two half-blood siblings were both born in Leicester, meanwhile Robert was residing at Bussick House, Cottesmore, Rutland, this being the family home of his paternal grandparents, Robert Cramp, an ordinary farm labourer, born 1843 in Cottesmore and his wife Susannah Cramp, born 1845 in Cottesmore, also residing in the family home was their son Walter, an ordinary farm labourer, born 1878 in Cottesmore and a grandson, John Edward Cramp, an ordinary farm labourer, born 1886 in Cottesmore. In April 1911 Robert remained absent from the family home at 66, Bradgate Street, Leicester, residing there was his father, a municipal labourer, his mother and siblings, Walter, a shoe trade worker, Ethel, a schoolgirl and Glady May, a schoolgirl, born in the April quarter of 1906 in Leicester, meanwhile Robert was employed as a domestic footman and was residing as a servant at The Hall, Edith Weston, Rutland. Robert was educated at Cottesmore school, on leaving he went into the service of Mrs. Clayton of Cottesmore, Rutland. When war broke out, he was serving in Fermoy, Ireland. He embarked for France on the 9th September 1914, and was killed in action by a shell. His younger brother Walter, was killed in action on the 13th November 1916.
FAMILY NOTES: Robert’s father Joseph, had previously married Fanny Hourd, in the April quarter of 1890 in the Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire district, Fanny was born in the January quarter of 1864 in Upper Broughton, Leicestershire, in April 1891 Joseph was employed as an agricultural labourer and they resided in Boakin Square, Beeby, Leicestershire. Fanny died aged 29 years in the October quarter of 1892 in the Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire district. Robert’s mother Mary Ann, had previously married John Foster in the October quarter of 1873 in Leicester, John was born in the July quarter of 1854 in Leicester, they had the following children, Caroline, born on the 27th January 1876 and baptised on the 17th April 1878 in St. Matthew’s Church, Leicester, John Henry, born on the 27th October 1877 and baptised on the 17th April 1878 in St. Matthew’s Church, Leicester, Sam, born in the October quarter of 1880 and baptised on the 13th February 1889 in St. Leonard’s Church, Leicester, William, born on the 18th April 1883 and baptised on the 12th January 1887 in St. Leonard’s Church, Leicester, Ernest, born on the 8th December 1886 and baptised on the 12th January 1887 in St. Leonard’s Church, Leicester and Arthur, born on the 1st March 1891 and baptised on the 15th April 1891 in St. Leonard’s Church, Leicester, all the children were born in Leicester. John died aged 36 years in January 1892 and was interred on the 27th January in Welford Road Cemetery, Leicester.
Robert’s army service enlistment documents do not survive, therefore the currently available information pertaining to his military service has been obtained from the following sources: - 1921 HMSO Publication, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914 - 1919, WW1 Service Medal and Award Rolls, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, WW1 Medal Rolls Index Cards, WW1 Pension Ledgers and Index Cards and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Registers.
Enlisted/Attested in Leicester into the Regular Army. Date not known.
Joined. At Leicester. Date not known.
Posted. To Leicestershire Regt. Pte. Date not known.
Allotted the Regimental Service number 9570.
Posted. To 1st Bn. Leicestershire Regt. Pte. Date not known.
Posted. To Fermoy, Ireland. Date not Known.
Embarked. From Rushbrooke Dock, Queenstown per S.S. Londonderry. 15/8/14.
Disembarked. At Holyhead. 16/8/14.
Arrived. At Coldham Common, Cambridge. 16/8/14.
Embarked. At Southampton per R.M.T. Braemar Castle. 8/9/14.
At sea. 9/9/14.
Disembarked. At St. Nazaire, France. 10/9/14.
To Rest Camp, Grand Marais. 10/9/14.
Killed in action. In the Field. 17/11/15.
Buried in La Brique Military Cemetery No.1, St. Jean-les-Ypres, Belgium.
Awarded the 1914 Star with Clasp & Rose, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In the event of his death, Robert nominated his grandmother Susannah Cramp and his father Joseph, as his sole legatees.
The War Diary records: 17 Nov-15 - Germans active with shell fire. One shell nearly knocked out one of our Machine Guns, killed 2 and wounded 1 of the team. Casualties’ “A” Company 1 killed, 1 wounded. “B” Company 1 killed, 1 sick. “D” Company 1 wounded, 1 sick. Transferred to 71st Infantry Brigade, (6th Division), in place of 8th BEDFORDSHIRE REGIMENT (to 16th Infantry Brigade). (71st Infantry Brigade 1st SHERWOOD FORESTERS) (from 18th Infantry Brigade). 9th NORFOLK REGIMENT, 9th SUFFOLK REGIMENT). 1st EAST KENT REGIMENT relieved us, and we went forward to re-entrant between the WIELTJE and FORWARD COTTAGE salients. Distribution. “B” Company, ½ “D” Company front line. “C” Company and ½ “D” Company in X line and ST. JEAN DEFENCES. “A” Company CANAL BANK. Machine Guns to billets in POPERINGHE. We took over this time from 9th NORFOLK REGIMENT. Trenches fearfully wet and quite impassable in places. Communication trenches between X line and front line impassable.
On Thursday, December 16th, 1915, The Leicester Daily Post published the following article on page five, under the heading. – “Leicestershire and the War.” – LOCAL CASUALTIES. – The parents of Private R. CRAMP, of the 1st Leicestershire Regiment, have received from the War Office a notification that he was killed in action on Nov. 17th. His home is at 66, Bradgate-street, Leicester.
On Saturday, December 18th, 1915, The Leicester Daily Post published the following article on page five, under the heading. – LEICESTER ROLL OF HONOUR. – Pte. R. CRAMP, 1st Leicester’s, killed in action in France on Nov. 17th. His parents reside at 66, Bradgate-street, Leicester. (A photograph accompanied the article).
On Saturday, December 18th, 1915, The Leicester Daily Mercury published the same article on page two.
On Tuesday December 26th, 1916, The Leicester Daily Mercury published the following article on page 2, under the heading. – ROLL OF HONOUR. – LOCAL MEN IN THE CASUALTY LISTS. – Mrs. Cramp, 66, Bradgate-street, Abbey-gate, has sustained a double bereavement, two sons, Able Seaman Walter Cramp and Pte. Robert Cramp, Leicestershire Regiment, having been killed within a few days. The former fell on November 13th, and the latter four days later.
[recognitum VIII-I-MMXXIV]