Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of James Brundell, general labourer, born on the 18th June 1854 in Orford, Suffolk and his wife Winifred Brundell (nee Egan), born on the 29th September 1856 in Haytown, County Dublin, Ireland. Robert Brundell was born in 1897 in Dublin, his siblings were, Charlotte Louisa, a general domestic servant, born on the 3rd September 1884 in Cheriton, Kent and baptised on the 5th October 1884 in St. Peter the Apostle Roman Catholic Church, Southwark, Kent, Mary Selina, born in the 1st quarter of 1888 in Woolwich, Kent, Michael James, born on the 15th June 1889. Henry, born on the 29th September 1890, John William, born on the 21st September 1894 and Emily Elizabeth M., born in the 1st quarter of 1899, the latter four siblings were all born in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, in March 1901 the family home was at 46, East Street, Winshill, Burton upon Trent. In April 1911 Robert was absent from the family home at 15, Albert Place, Station Street, Burton upon Trent, residing there was his father, a general labourer, his mother and siblings, Henry, a waggoner, Emily, a schoolgirl and George Harold, a schoolboy, born on the 12th August 1901 in Burton upon Trent, Robert and his older brother, John William were both employed as a farm servant’s and were residing at Hall Field, Desford, Leicestershire.
Robert’s Army enlistment documents do not survive, all that is known of his military service is that he enlisted into the South Staffordshire Regiment in Leicester, being allotted the service number 23494, and was posted as a Private to that Regiment’s Depot for training, subsequently being posted to the 1/5th (Territorial Force) Battalion. It is not known when Robert first entered the theatre of war in France, however as he was not recorded on the medal rolls for the 1914-15 Star, it has to be assumed that it was at some time after the 31st December 1915. Nothing further is known of his military service until he was officially recorded in an appendix to the Battalion War Diary as being missing in action on the 8th June 1917. Robert’s body was never recovered, and he is commemorated on the Arras Memorial to the Missing in the Pas de Calais, France. He was awarded the British War Medal and Allied Victory Medal. Robert’s mother was awarded a weekly Army Pension of five shillings to commence on the 6th November 1918.
The War Diary records: 8 Jun-17 – Very quiet day. At 7.00pm “C” and “D” Companies took up positions in assembly trenches, and at 8.30pm went over (See appendices II and III. Casualties appendices I and IV).
APPENDIX II
SECRET. 1/5th BATTALION SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE REGT.
OPERATION ORDERS. No.106. Copy No.17. June 3rd 1917.
Reference Map LENS. 36c. S.W.1.1/10.000. and Map 1/25.000.
[1] RAID. The Battalion will raid NASH ALLEY from N.1.a.97.38 to N.1.a.78.95 on a date to be notified later.
[2] DISPOSOTIONS. The attack will be carried out on a two Company frontage. “C” Company on the right – “D” Company on the left. Dividing line between Companies – N.1.a.87.60. Formation as previously practiced. See Map 1/25.000.
[3] ASSEMBLY. The assembly trenches will be occupied as shown on map 1/25.000, one hour before Zero.
[4] ADVANCE. At Zero plus ½ minute, “C” and “D” Companies will advance under the barrage, by the centre, and will reach the objective at Zero, plus 3½ minutes.
[5] BLOCKS. “C” Company will establish and hold blocks at N.1.b.01.30 in NASH ALLEY, and N.1.b.03.43 in NETLEY TRENCH. “D” Company at N.1.a.30.83 in NATAL TRENCH, and N.1.a.84.96 in OLD GERMAN FRIONT LINE.
[6] MOPPING UP PARTIES. Special mopping up parties will be detailed by each Company, to clear the dug-outs in NASH ALLEY.
[7] SPECIAL R.E. A Special R.E. party will take part, for the purposes of preparing the dug-outs for destruction, and placing dummies to induce a counter-attack after withdrawal.
[8] CONSOLIDATION. On reaching the objective, NASH ALLEY will be at once consolidated to beat off local counter-attacks, special attention being paid to the placing of Lewis Guns. Two snipers will be detailed to each Lewis Gun Section.
[9] COMMUNICATION. Communication will be established by telephone. The signallers will lay two sets of lines from the post in O.G.1. N.1.a.54.00 to NASH ALLEY N.1.a.86.62. If telephone communication breaks down runners will be used. Relay at Company Headquarters in O.G.1. M.6.b.75.43. A code of Very light and flare signals will also be used.
[10] COMPANY HEADQUARTERS. In NASH ALLEY. “C” Company near trench junction N.1.a.82.53 (approximate). “D” Company N.1.a.75.00 (approximate).]
[11] WITHDRAWAL. The party will withdraw under the orders of the Officer Commanding Raid, via NOVEL ALLEY, thence “C” Company will use NETLEY TRENCH, and “D” Company will use the OLD GERMAN FRONT LINE direct to their junction with MARTYR’S ALLEY, thence to HAY HILL. “C” Company will assemble NORTH of Battalion Headquarters. “D” Company will assemble in REGENT ST., WEST of the junction with HAY HILL.
The Box Barrage will be put down during the withdrawal at a time to be notified later.
[12] RE-OCCUPATION OF FRONT LINE POSTS. “B” Company will move up at Zero plus – minutes and re-occupy the present front line posts.
[13] REGIMENTAL AID POST. The Regimental Aid Post will be at NOVEL ALLEY N.1.a.15.52.
[14] ARTILLERY, MORTAR, AND MACHINE GUN PROGRAMME. Will be issued separately.
[15] ZERO HOUR. Zero hour will be notified later. Watches will be synchronised at a time to be notified later.
[16] BATTALION HEADQUARTERS. Battalion Headquarters will be in HARTS CRATER.
Signed. R. C. Piper, Captain, Acting Adjutant, 1/5th Bn. South Staffordshire Regt.
APPENDIX III.
SECRET. OPERATION ORDERS. by OFFICER COMMANDING RAID. Copy No.13. June 4th 1917.
[1] DRESS. The whole party will be in Fighting Order without haversacks. MILLS GRENADES No.5 will be collected by men detailed for the purpose, and passed to the Bombing and Rifle Grenade Sections at once, on reaching NASH ALLEY. Filled water bottles will be carried. Especial care will be taken that box respirators are securely fastened in the ALERT position.
[2] EQUIPMENT.
Bombing Section and Moppers Up. 12 MILLS GRENADES No.5. 2 Waist belt carriers. 2 sand-bags per man, except 2 throwers without equipment and rifles. They carry 8 additional bombs.
Rifle Grenade Sections. As for Bombing Sections, except that 12 MILLS GRENADES No.23 are carried. Not No.5, and 12 spare reds per man.
Rifle Sections. 1st Line:- 4 MILLS GRENADES No.5. 2nd Line:- 12 MILLS GRENADES No.5 per man. Each section in the 2nd Line will be equipped with 1 shovel and 1 pick.
Signallers and Runners. Will carry 50 rounds S.A.A and 4 MILLS GRENADES No.5. Runners will also carry 2 Red ground flares, and 1 packet of Very Light cartridges each, to be dumped at Company Headquarters.
Each Section in the Front Line. Will be equipped with 1 pair long handled wire cutters.
[3] CARRYING PARTY. 1 N.C.O. and 10 men will be detailed from each of “C” and “D” Companies to form carrying parties.
“D” Company’s party will proceed along OLD GERMAN FRONT LINE each man carrying 30 bombs, and form a dump at N.1.a.50.86.
“C” Company’s party will proceed up NETLEY TRENCH and form a dump at N.1.a.58.10. Dumps for each Company will be formed for picks and shovels.
[4] DIRECTING MARKS. Direction marks will be put out in front at unobserved places to indicate flanks and directions, which must be carefully adhered to.
Each platoon will find patrols to reconnoitre their area, which must be carefully looked at by day as well as by night.
[5]ASSEMBLY. Companies will assemble as arranged with Officers Commanding Companies, and will advance in two lines at 20 yards distance.
Carrying parties and SECTION R.E. will form a 3rd line at 15 yards distance.
[6] PRISONERS. The carrying parties will escort prisoners back.
[7] LIGHT SIGNALS. Each Company will be in possession of 4 Very Pistols.
1 Red Flare on parados means.....”Objective reached.”
2 Red Flares mean....”NASH ALLEY cleared and blocks established.”
2 Very lights ( ) mean....”More bombs required.”
2 Very lights ( ) mean....”NASH ALLEY consolidated.”
3 Very lights ( ) mean....”Am withdrawing.”
Signals will only be put up by Officers Commanding Companies or Officer Commanding Raid.
Colours ( ) will be notified later.
Signed. D. B. Wilson, Captain. Officer Commanding Raid.