Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Ellen Hollard, born 1862 in Camberwell, Surrey. Robert William was born in the 3rd December 1892 in the Wandsworth and Clapham Workhouse, Surrey and was baptised on the 16th December 1892. In March 1901 he was a schoolboy and was living as an inmate at the North Surrey District Union School, Anerley Road, Anerley, Penge, Surrey. In April 1911 Robert was employed as a brickwork’s labourer and was residing as a boarder at 16, High Street, Ibstock, Leicestershire. His CWGC headstone incorrectly carries the surname spelling Holland.
NOTE: The family information collated from census returns, birth, baptism, marriage and death records, although appearing to relate to this casualty, cannot be fully and conclusively corroborated with presently available information, and therefore may not relate to this casualty and/or his family.
Robert attested into the Army on a Short Service engagement (For the Duration of the War, with the Colours and in the Army Reserve.) on the 1st December 1915 in Coalville. He gave his home address as 124, High Street, Ibstock, his place of birth as Surrey, his age as 22 years and 361 days, and his trade or calling as chaff cutter. He confirmed that he was unmarried. He gave his mother Ellen Hollard, address unknown as his next of kin. His medical examination recorded that he was 5 foot 10 inches in height, weighed 130 pounds and he had a chest measurement of between 32 and 34 inches. His physical development was described as good and his pulse rate was 80. It was noted that he had light varicosity on his right leg. He gave his religion as Church of England. After attestation on the 1/12/15 in Coalville he was transferred as Private, service number 24689 to the Army Reserve. Mobilized on the 26/1/16. Posted to the Leicestershire Regiment Depot on the 26/1/16. Posted to the 3rd Battalion Leicestershire Regiment on the 29/1/16. Posted to Patrington on the 30/1/16. Transferred to the 12th Battalion Duke of Wellington’s Regiment (Labour Battalion) at Marton Hall, Middlesbrough, and allocated the service number 21105 on the 25/3/16. Embarked to join the British Expeditionary Force in France on the 1/4/16. Killed in action, in the field on the 23/10/16. His body was later exhumed from its battlefield burial site, and reburied in Quarry Cemetery, 5¾ miles East of Albert. A summary of his service records: Home Service, 1/12/15 – 1/4/16, 123 days. British Expeditionary Force, France 2/4/16 – 23/10/16, 205 days. Total service 328 days. He was awarded the British War and Victory medals. The following information was provided by Robert’s Landlady P. Iliffe of 124, High Street, Ibstock, Leicester on the 1st April 1922, and was witnessed and signed by Arthur ? Birks, Clerk in Holy Orders, Ibstock Rectory, Leicester on ARMY FORM W. 5080 (Information on deceased soldier’s family) There are no known blood relatives recorded, but a footnote stating: Only home he knew. A letter accompanied by a parcel from the Officer in charge of Infantry Records, York and dated the 27th June 1917 and addressed to Mrs. P. Iliffe, 124, High Street, Ibstock, contained the following personal belongings:- Pocket book, letters, photos, cards and wallet. Robert’s surviving service documents are in poor condition, and much of the finer detail relating to the period of time that he spent in the Army, is either illegible or missing, hence the sparse overall description of his military and personal family history.

Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Robert was born in Wandsworth Union Workhouse in 1892. Separated from any family, he was sent to the Industrial School in Annerley at the age of 4. When he was 14 he was placed in work in Ibstock, Leics. With no other next of kin, he left his belongings to his landlady, Polly Liffe. The name on his gravestone at Quarry Cemetery, Montauban, is mis-spelled as 'Holland'.

Submitted by C. Burge, 2016